


Cherry's Adventures of Rover Dangerfield

by PerkyGoth14



Category: Rover Dangerfield
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-13
Updated: 2016-07-19
Packaged: 2018-07-23 16:41:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 26
Words: 38,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7471248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerkyGoth14/pseuds/PerkyGoth14
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Darla invites Cherry, Atticus, Patch, and Mo to meet her Aunt Connie in Las Vegas who invites them to come visit in time for her birthday and to meet her pet dog who is a wise-cracking comedian named Rover. Along the way, they all come across some trouble when Connie leaves with the girls for a couple of weeks and her boyfriend has other plans for the boys and pets.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Easy... Easy..." Cherry was building a house of cards with Atticus, then suddenly the door opened. "DANGIT!" she then accidentally yelled out which made the house turn into a flopping pile of cards.

Atticus looked over. "Darla, you can't just barge into other people's houses."

"Sorry, Atticus..." Darla said as she hid something behind her back.

"What's that behind your back?" Patch asked.

"Oh, nuthin'..." Darla shrugged, then took out an envelope with a smirk. "Except this invitation from my Aunt Connie in Las Vegas!"

"Who is your Aunt Connie again?" Patch asked.

"My daddy's sister," Darla said. "She does shows all the time in Las Vegas. I actually kinda remember her. I used to visit her all the time when I was a baby and Dusk was still in school." she then took out extra pieces from the envelope which were photographs of the times she had with her biological aunt who lived in Las Vegas and there was even pictures of her with a chubby dog who wore a red tie.

"Ohh, yeah." Patch said.

"Isn't that her dog?" Atticus looked over Darla's shoulder.

"Yeah, his name's Rover..." Darla said as she tried to remember. "I heard he used to work in the circus or something before Connie found him."

"Does the invitation say you can bring family members with you?" Patch asked.

"She said anyone's welcome to join me." Darla smiled brightly.

"Yay! We get to come!" Patch cheered, referring to himself and Atticus.

"Have fun..." Cherry looked away.

"I did say anyone, Cherry." Darla said.

"Well, Atticus and Patch are your family..." Cherry shrugged. "I'd hate to be a bother... Besides, I'm watching my brother's dog."

"You never said your brother had a dog." Atticus sounded excited.

"She's a little pit bull, her name's Ellie May." Cherry replied softly.

"So cute." Darla smiled.

Cherry then shuffled her cards with a small sigh.

"Please." Darla begged.

"Oh, Dimples, I didn't know you liked me..." Cherry shrugged.

"Well, you are a friend of my brother's." Darla said.

"I suppose I am..." Cherry shrugged. "Nothing's really going on here. Besides, what could possibly go wrong in a place like Las Vegas?"

"So true," Darla smiled. "And we'll be inviting Mo and Colette along as well."

"Wow, Darla, that's mighty sweet of you." Atticus smiled.

"Hey, I'm an adorable, little angel." Darla smirked.

"Yeah, yeah, we know." Patch smirked.

Darla giggled as they then went to get ready, she then looked to her Sailor Scout dress with the brooch and her Moon Staff, wondering if she should bring it along just in case. Cherry decided to let her brother's dog come to meet Patch and Colette so she wouldn't feel so mopey or shy, but the dog was both since she was away from her owner.

"I just don't understand," the pit bull whimpered sadly as she looked to her fellow dogs. "Why wouldn't Michael and Ashley take me with them to their honeymoon?"

"Well, maybe they just needed sometime alone together." Colette said.

"I guess..." the puppy pouted.

"Cheer up, Ellie, you'll be with them soon," Patch soothed. "You seem like a really nice dog."

"Yeah, even Cherry likes me since I don't bark much." Ellie May smiled softly.

"I guess that would make sense." Colette smiled.

Ellie May smiled, but still looked rather shy and a little lost.

"Uh, I hear you live with a girl cat... What's her name?" Patch tried to make conversation.

"Gary." Ellie May replied softly.

"That's a nice name." Patch said.

"For a girl, I guess..." Colette shrugged.

Ellie May still sighed about being away from her owners. "I miss Sadie too..."

"Who's Sadie?" Patch asked.

"Ashley's parents' dog," Ellie May replied before having a small smile in memory. "Usually when Michael takes me outside, we play together..."

"Aw!" Colette smiled.

Ellie May smiled back, then looked to the house door. "Boy, humans sure take a long time to pack up, don't they?"

"Don't worry; they'll be out in no time." Patch said.

"I suppose so..." Ellie May sighed.

"I think Ellie May should meet Rebound, Oddball, and the other little ones at Shelter 17." Colette suggested to her boyfriend.

"Let's see for next time." Patch agreed, that sounded like a wonderful idea.

Soon enough, Mo, Atticus, Cherry, and Darla came out with their luggage.

"Oh, good, you guys are ready!" Colette smiled.

"Sorry about that, I wasn't sure what book I wanted to take with me," Darla said. "Atticus and Mo have been telling me all about Manga."

"Oh, careful," Patch warned. "Those stories can be very mature at times."

"I know." Darla said.

"Let's get going then." Colette said.

"Maybe now we can have a break from adventures, and a certain W-A-R-L-O-C-K." Cherry commented.

"How should we get to your aunt?" Patch asked Darla.

"I heard there's a bus coming in half an hour to go to Vegas." Darla replied.

"Cool." Atticus smiled.

"And if it gets a flat tire, we got someone here to help lift it up while the driver replaces the tire with a new tire." Mo smiled as she snuggled up to Atticus.

Atticus smiled as he hugged her back.

"Get a room..." Cherry deadpanned.

After about half an hour, their ride came and where as soon as it came; one of the front tires popped and became flat.

"Oh, no!" the driver came out and sighed. "Folks, we're gonna have to postpone all travels."

"Aww!" the passengers groaned.

"Excuse me, sir," Atticus walked over. "I'd be happy to help."

"Give it your best shot, Muscles." The driver said.

"Heh, no problem." Atticus smirked.

Mo sighed dreamily to Atticus.

"What is with you?" Cherry asked the tomboy. "I know you like Atticus, but you've never been this gaga over him before!"

"I guess my girly side has been coming out lately." Mo smiled.

Atticus soon grunted for show as he lifted up the bus with one hand. Cherry rolled her eyes. The driver's eyes widened as Atticus went to work.

"Looks like you ran over a sharp rock." Atticus commented.

"Oh, um, yes so it seems." The driver nodded before replacing the flat tire with a new one.

"Let me know when you're ready or need help," Atticus replied. "I don't know how long I can hold this thing."

After tightening the bolts, the new tire was ready.

"Okay, you can put the bus back down on the ground." The driver said.

Atticus smiled and gently set the bus back on the ground. "How much do we owe ya for the ride?"

The driver then smiled back in gratitude. "You know what? It's on the house."

"Really? Thank you so much, sir." Atticus smiled.

"I should be thanking you." the driver smiled back.

The group then came onto the bus so they could begin their travel to Las Vegas. And once everyone was on board, the bus started moving.

Mo smiled up to Atticus. "I'm so glad I met you."

"Likewise." Atticus smiled back.

Darla kept telling everyone how excited she was about going to see her aunt for the first time in forever, but soon, she tuckered herself out in the middle of the trip. Atticus soon brought out a blanket and covered Darla with it. Darla shifted slightly as she curled up in the blanket.

Atticus smiled as he then lay down to get comfortable with Mo in his chest as he took out a book he brought with him to occupy him during the trip. Cherry simply just slept. Patch and Colette had Ellie May between them and helped her get some sleep as they felt sleepy themselves. During the entire trip to Las Vegas, Atticus continued reading even after he felt someone's hand feel his muscles and chest.

"Finally, a break..." Cherry sounded relieved. She then saw Mo feeling Atticus's muscles while still asleep. She rolled her eyes and lay down against the window. "Girls..."

Finally, after a very long drive...

There was a young adult woman with shimmering blonde hair in a sleeveless top with shorts and white sneakers as she stood next to a Basset Hound with a red tie around his fat neck. Soon the bus arrived and where the ones they were waiting for, came out of it.

"Look, Rover, here they come!" the blonde young adult woman told her dog.

The dog smiled, looking a little excited. The bus then stopped and the passengers came out.

Darla ran out with glee. "Aunt Connie!"

The two soon hugged each other, happy to finally see each other after so long.

"Oh, I can't believe how much you've grown," Connie smiled down to the little blonde girl. "You look just like your daddy."

"Thanks, Aunt Connie." Darla giggled.

Atticus, Patch, Colette, Cherry, Mo, and Ellie May all soon came out next. Darla sniffled in her hug with her long-lost aunt, then saw the others and saw an introduction was in order and introduced everybody to her Aunt Connie and Rover.

"Hey, Rover..." Patch came over with the other canines to meet their new friend. "Nice tie."

"Thanks, I'm into show biz myself." Rover smirked.

"Nice." Patch smiled.

"And who do we have here?" Rover then asked.

"I'm Patch, that's my girlfriend Colette, and this is our new friend, Ellie May." the dalmatian introduced.

"Welcome all of you to Las Vegas, I've seen it all," Rover smiled. "Winners! Losers! Losers who think they're winners!"

"What a unique place." Colette smiled.

"Tell me about it." Rover smiled at his glamorous home.

They then heard another tire go out.

"Dang nabit!" a voice called out.

"I better fix that..." Atticus suggested.

"That didn't sound like the driver." Darla said nervously.

"Who could that be?" Colette wondered.

"I don't know." Patch shrugged.

"Was it a male or female voice?" Ellie May asked.

Darla shrugged herself.

"Who's there?" Connie called as she took Darla's hand. "I don't have a lot of time for this!"

They saw that it was a man.

"Who's that guy?" Darla asked.

Rover glared at the man and snarled slightly as he stood protectively in front of Darla and Connie despite not being much of an attack dog.

"Come on, guys; let's get inside." Connie said.

Rover kept a firm eye.

"Come on, sweetie..." Connie told her niece on the way inside.

Darla gave a shifty look as they were on their way inside of a small condo.

"Is that guy her ex-boyfriend or something?" Colette asked.

"Current boyfriend..." Rover sneered. "His name's Rocky... I don't like him though."

"Why not?" Patch asked.

"I dunno what it is, but somethin' about him rubs me the wrong way..." Rover rolled his eyes.

"Maybe he's a smuggler." Ellie May said.

"I don't get why Connie likes him..." Rover stuck his tongue out.

Along the way to the small condo, Atticus volunteered to be the one to carry the luggage. Mo giggled as Atticus did his handiwork.

"This sure is a nice condo." Darla smiled.

"I thought you might like it," Connie smiled back to her niece. "It's just me and Rover, but don't worry, there's enough room for guests."

"That's great." Darla smiled.

"I hope you like it." Connie smiled back.

Darla hugged her aunt. "Thanks for letting my new family join in on our little fun time together."

"Yes, we'll be sure to catch up," Connie agreed. "Now, tomorrow's a special day and I'm taking the night off from work tonight just for all of you." she then gently poked the little girl in her button nose in a playful way.

"I know it's your birthday tomorrow." Darla smiled.

Connie giggled. "You're so sweet, just like your daddy was."

Something seemed to be now moving inside Darla's bag.

"Let's get you kids settled in." Connie said.

Darla nodded, but then stood as she came to the couch and put her bag on it and opened it as it moved slightly.

"Finally!" Maisy gasped for air.

"Maisy!" Darla looked in surprise. "What're you doing here?"

"I wanted to come too." Maisy smiled.

"Well, I didn't know ya had it in you." Darla smirked and folded her arms playfully to her kitten.

Maisy smiled and nuzzled against Darla with a purr.

"Oh, sure is so adorable." Connie smiled.

"This is my kitten," Darla held Maisy gently and showed her to her aunt. "Her name's Maisy. Maisy, this is my Aunt Connie."

Maisy simply mewed.

"Oh, she's so precious," Connie smiled. "Where did you get her?"

"My best friend's family moved to a farm and their neighbors let me keep a kitten as a pet." Darla beamed.

Maisy started to purr as she started to nuzzle Connie. Connie giggled as she gently held Maisy. Darla smiled at the bond.

"Where do you want me to put these?" Atticus asked as he still had the luggage in his arms, not having any trouble with them.

"There's a room right across from the bathroom right there," Connie said, pointing in the direction. "There's a couple of twin beds, if you need anything else, I have an air mattress for two in the closet."

"Called it!" Atticus and Mo smiled.

"Of course you two do..." Cherry deadpanned.

"Do we need to blow it up?" Mo asked.

"I have a pump." Connie replied.

"Thanks." Atticus smiled.

"Anything for Darla's friends." Connie smiled back.

Darla smiled to that as she gently pet her kitten.

"If you guys are up for it, I'll take ya to meet my little buddy Eddie." Rover smiled to the younger pets.

"We would like to meet him." Patch said.

"I'm sure he'd like to meet you too." Rover smiled.

"And someday, I'd like you to meet my favorite niece." Patch replied.

"I bet she's a peach." Rover smiled.

"I haven't met Patch's niece, but I'm pretty sure she's a dalmatian too and not a fruit." Ellie May said.

Rover chuckled to that. "No, no, that's not what I mean, I mean I bet she's sweet and adorable."

"Oh..." Ellie May smiled bashfully.

"Well, she really is and she really looks up to me." Patch smiled proudly.

"Yeah, because you're like a superhero." Colette giggled.

Patch smiled shyly to that.

"So, Rover, what do you do for fun?" Ellie May asked.

"I usually tell jokes to my friends." Rover smiled sheepishly.

"So you're a comedian?" Patch smiled.

"Pretty much," Rover smiled. "You know how many people work here in Las Vegas? One out of four." he then said and a rimshot was then heard from nowhere.

"What was that?" Ellie May asked.

"What was what?" Patch asked.

"That noise after Rover made a joke," Ellie May said. "Didn't you hear it?"

Patch and Colette glanced to each other, then looked back to her, just shrugging.

"Weird." Ellie May said.

"Well,..." Patch yawned and stretched. "I think we might as well get some dinner and hit the hay."

"I should say so," Rover agreed. "You guys had such a long travel, you might as well settle in."

Colette agreed as she also felt sleepy.


	2. Chapter 2

The man from before stumbled into the condo.

Darla looked to him and narrowed her eyes slightly. "You must be Aunt Connie's boyfriend..."

"Yeah and who are you?" The man asked.

"I'm Darla," the blonde girl folded her arms. "Aunt Connie's favorite and most adorable, angelic, and treasured niece."

The man soon heard hissing as he looked down and saw Maisy. "Cute cat..." he commented, though didn't seem to mean it. "Where's Connie?"

"In the back." Darla pointed.

Rocky then went to that direction, ruffling up her hair.

Darla held her head and lightly glared to him. "I don't know why, but I hate that man, Maisy."

"Same here." Maisy glared.

Connie helped the others out, but smiled as Atticus did most of the work and didn't even hesitate.

"Hey..." Rocky came to the door-frame.

"Oh... Hi, Rocky..." Connie smiled in surprise.

Rocky soon heard Atticus's grunts only once as he also heard something being filled up with air all the way.

"You sure you can handle the pump on your own?" Mo asked.

"No, no, it's okay, I don't mind at all." Atticus smiled to her as he pumped up the air mattress for them.

And where with one pump, the mattress was filled with air all the way due to his incredible strength.

"Quick, plug it!" Atticus called.

Mo swooped in and then plugged it up. "Success!"

They both then hugged each other, but then noticed Rocky was in the condo.

"Rocky, this is my older foster brother Atticus and his girlfriend Mo." Darla introduced.

"So I see..." Rocky sounded disinterested.

"And if you even think about hurting Atticus, think again," Darla smirked as she folded her arms. "He'll send you right to the moon."

Rocky gulped as soon as he looked and saw that Atticus had brought weights with him. Darla smirked to this. Rocky then left the room to see Connie.

Darla giggled and hugged Atticus. "I'm so glad you're here, it's like you're my own bodyguard."

"Yeah, I guess so." Atticus nodded.

"Ooh, bouncy." Maisy hopped and bounced on the air mattress.

"Yep, filled up with plenty of air." Atticus smiled.

"Watch your claws." Mo warned the kitten.

"I will." Maisy smiled.

Cherry yawned and stretched.

"Tired?" Colette asked.

"It's been a long travel..." Cherry nodded once.

"It sure was." Ellie May yawned.

"I guess some of us should rest," Patch said. "Sorry we can't play, Rover."

"Play?" Rover glanced at him. "I don't play."

"Well, how do you fetch with Connie then?" Patch then asked.

"What's 'Fetch'?" Rover asked.

"Wow, this dog needs help." Colette said.

"Something tells me he'll learn all about being a real dog sometime soon." Patch nodded in agreement.

"I hope so." Colette said.

"I guess we'll find out in the future." Patch said.

Rocky went away after a while and Connie stayed on the couch after talking with him.

Darla came to the couch and sat next to her aunt. "I don't trust that guy, Aunt Connie."

"Oh, Darla, Rocky's harmless..." Connie replied. "Besides, he's going to watch the pets while we go away to have some quality time together after my birthday."

Darla grew concerned of that and then got an idea of who should stay with him.

"Don't worry, I'll be sure Atticus has fun too, even though I planned for it to be a girl's weekend," Connie continued. "Plus some nights, I'll have to work of course."

"Why don't we leave Atticus here with Rocky; that way, it does get to be a girl's weekend?" Darla smiled.

"Oh, I wouldn't want him to be left out." Connie replied to her niece.

"Aunt Connie, I insist," Darla replied. "It might be better that way anyway, we could have our girls' time and Atticus could help watch the pets, he does love animals after all..." she then muttered under her breath. "And if that Rocky tries anything, Atticus can open up a can of whoop butt."

"Well, if you are really sure." Connie said.

"I'm sure he'll agree." Darla smiled.

And where Darla was right.

"Well, okay, we'll talk it over with him." Connie smiled.

Darla smiled back and gave her aunt a hug. "I hear you preform, now I know where I got my talented genes from."

"Well, our family does have talents in many ways." Connie smiled.

"I sing and dance..." Darla said.

"I've heard of your movies..." Connie nodded. "I knew it had to be you, you have your father's smile."

Darla smiled bashfully to that.

It was soon time for bed.

"Well, I guess it's time for bed." Connie looked at the time.

"Aw, but Aunt Connie..." Darla pouted before yawning sleepily. "We just got here..."

"Yes I know, but it's time for bed, young lady." Connie said.

Darla pouted.

"Now, now, don't look at me like that..." Connie picked up her young niece. "You need your rest, we'll have a lot of fun tomorrow."

"Oh, okay." Darla said.

"You've had a long trip anyway, it'll be tomorrow before you know it." Connie smiled as she then carried Darla into the spare room.

Darla smiled before yawning. Connie smiled to her niece and took her into the other room as the others were already in their pajamas and getting ready for bed.

"Ready to get some sleep, strongman?" Mo smirked.

"I am if you are, pretty lady." Atticus smirked back.

This caused Mo to giggle as she felt his muscles before they both got into bed. Atticus smiled to her. Cherry was already knocked out and was even snoring and drooling all over her pillow.

"Mo really has been bringing out her female side more often." Colette smiled.

"I guess that's what happens when human girls fall in love." Patch smiled back.

Colette then began to yawn before falling asleep with Patch. Patch slightly nuzzled against her as he felt sleepy himself. The next day would be a special day for Connie, but would also have a rather unpleasant surprise. The morning came quicker than anyone expected.


	3. Chapter 3

Atticus woke up first and when he was told today was Connie's birthday, he decided to make pancakes for everybody. And where the aroma of the pancakes soon woke up everyone else.

"Atticus?" Connie asked in surprise.

"Happy Birthday," Atticus smiled to the young blonde woman. "I thought I'd make breakfast for your special day."

"Oh, thank you, Atticus." Connie smiled.

Atticus smiled back and continued to cook.

"Mm, smells like cinnamon." Connie smiled.

"My own personal recipe," Atticus smiled back. "Well, that and something I've learned from Jessica when she was in Home Ec."

"Mm, pancakes." Patch smiled.

"My favorite!" Darla beamed.

After a while, everyone had a plate full of pancakes. Everyone thanked Atticus and they started to eat their breakfast.

"Hey, I like this kid," Rover smirked to Patch, Colette, and Ellie May. "He should move in and open a Waffle House!"

"Maybe, but then he would miss his family and friends back home." Ellie May said.

"Aw, Ellie, Michael and Ashley won't be gone forever," Patch soothed. "Plus you'll be with Hayden soon too."

"Yeah, I guess..." Ellie May smiled sadly.

"Just be patient." Colette smiled.

Ellie May sighed, but she did eat some of her breakfast.

"I haven't seen anyone this down, since... Well... When you ran away from home." Colette said to Patch.

"Yeah and sorry about that." Patch said.

"It's okay, I understand, I just wish you said something to me..." Colette smiled.

The two of them soon nuzzled each other.

"Um, are you two a couple?" Ellie May asked the cocker spaniel and dalmatian.

"Yes, yes, we are." Patch and Colette smiled.

Ellie May smiled back to them.

"These pancakes are delicious." Connie smiled.

"Thanks." Atticus smiled back as he made his own plate and decided to join them for breakfast.

"Later tonight, I'll show you guys what I do at night." Rover said.

"That sounds like fun, Rover..." Maisy said. "Oh, um, I'm invited am I?"

"Yes, you are." Rover nodded.

"Oh, boy!" Maisy beamed as she then continued to eat her breakfast.

The entire breakfast went great. The telephone then rang.

"I'll get it," Connie went to her phone as the dishes were then being cleared. "Hello?"

"Who could that be?" Darla wondered.

"Probably a friend of hers to wish her a Happy Birthday." Mo guessed.

"I just hope it isn't that Rocky guy." Patch said.

"I don't like him..." Darla mumbled. "I don't know why, but he bothers me."

"Same here," Atticus said before he smirked. "It's just a shame I didn't get to shake his hand."

"Oh, maybe you will soon..." Darla smirked back.

"Why would you want to shake his hand....?" Cherry asked before having an idea why.

"Think about it." Mo said.

"He doesn't seem so bad to me..." Cherry shrugged.

"Cherry, he looks like he's from a gang..." Darla narrowed her eyes.

"Yeah." Mo said.

After breakfast, Atticus volunteered to do the dishes.

'Oh, Atticus, you don't have to..." Connie said.

"I want to." Atticus insisted.

"Well, okay, if you insist." Connie said.

"I do." Atticus smiled as he washed up the dishes.

"So, Connie, what is it exactly that you do?" Mo asked.

"I'm a show-girl." Connie replied.

"Cool." Darla smiled.

The others were surprised at Connie's job, but it sounded cool.

"I'll take you guys to a show and afterward, we'll celebrate my birthday." Connie smiled to her niece and guests.

"Sounds great." Darla smiled.

"I'll tell the girls." Connie smiled back.

"Cool." Mo smiled.

Connie then went to take a quick shower and dress up to be presentable to her company.

Atticus soon decided to put his crystal powers to work.

"Atticus..." Cherry said in a rather warning tone of voice.

Atticus simply made a beautiful dress appear that only a show girl would wear.

"Oh, thank goodness..." Cherry sounded relieved. "I thought those crystal powers came whenever you got angry or upset."

"That's only the down side." Atticus said,

"Well, okay, don't scare me like that, Atticus Fudo." Cherry replied.

Atticus rolled his eyes, but smiled. "Do you think this is a good dress?" 

"Yeah, it looks perfect." Cherry shrugged.

"Great." Atticus smiled.

"Is that your present for Connie?" Cherry asked.

"Yep." Atticus smiled before using his magic to place the dress in a box before wrapping up the box.

"Show-Off..." Cherry mumbled.

"Why not try making a gift with your dream-bending powers?" Atticus asked.

"Hmm..." Cherry hummed, she then closed her eyes and put her hands together. "Present for an adult woman who often preforms in shows..." she said to herself to try to think up a perfect gift for Connie.

Atticus stayed silent so Cherry could concentrate. Cherry hummed. Her hands then let out a hot pink glow and she then opened up her eyes and opened her hands to see what her gift would be and saw that it was a sparkling Tiffany diamond ring.

"Oh, that's pretty." Atticus smiled to the gift.'

"Yeah, I guess that's good." Cherry smiled back and put the ring into a box before wrapping it up.

"So, Rover, when do we get to see you do whatever you do at night?" Patch asked.

"I'll show you when Connie's ready." Rover promised.

"Hope it's soon," Colette smiled. "I'm anxious to explore."

Rover nodded, then looked up as Connie came out.

"Hiya, Rover, ready to see Eddie and everybody?" Connie smiled to her dog.

Rover simply nodded excitedly.

Connie smiled and hugged her dog. "Come on, let's show everyone around and I can get ready to work and you can see your friends."

Rover licked her happily and nuzzled against her, feeling that she was the only girl for him.

They were all now in Connie's car and she was pointing out certain sights to her niece and her guests. And where they started to enjoy the sights. Darla took out her camera and took plenty of pictures.


	4. Chapter 4

'Welcome to the 31st annual strongman's competition,' the announcer announced. 'Let's have a big hand for our competitors.' 

The audience clapped as the competitors then smiled and waved to their audience.

'The first prize winner will win to a seven night stay in a hotel and get free front row tickets to a magic show of their choice!' the announcer then said.

"What about the championship belt?" One of the competitors asked.

'That and the championship belt, don't get your spandex in a twist...' the announcer sounded snarky about that.

The announcer could see that everyone was waiting to hear what the competition was going to consist of.

'We'll start with simple basics such as weight-lifting, and then we'll have an anvil throwing competition, and we'll end with a tug-of-war, and if there are two still standing in the very end, we'll have an arm-wrestling match to finish it all.' the announcer then announced.

This interested the competitors very much.

'First up: Numbuh 1: Olympia von Tassel.' the announcer announced.

There came a strong European woman who lifted a 50 pound dumbbell. This got the audience clapping.

"Not bad..." Atlas said. "For a woman."

Olympia threw down the dumbbell and glared to him. "WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!"

"I mean that was good." Atlas said, trying to be nice.

"Hmm..." Olympia gave him a look.

"Our next competitor, number 2: Brutus Thurman." the announcer then called.

A muscular man came up next and lifted up a 60 pound dumbbell.

"Amateurs..." Atticus and Atlas smirked.

Throughout the first round, most of the men and women that competed weren't that big deal for Atticus or Atlas.

"Competitor number 9: Atlas." the announcer announced.

"That's me, buddy, see ya." Atlas smiled to Atticus and went off to take his turn.

"So how many pounds are you going to be doing?" The announcer asked the strong man.

"Hmm... How about one ton?" Atlas smirked.

The crowd gasped at that in shock and surprise.

"A-Are you sure?" The announcer asked.

"Positive, bring it on!" Atlas insisted.

"All right, bring on the ton load!" the announcer then called out to the helping hands.

And where the helping hands started to grunt as they started to bring in a load of dumbbells that felt as heavy as each ton each one was.

"Here you are, sir." the announcer told Atlas.

"Piece of cake." Atlas cracked his knuckles and then lifted the one ton dumbbell simply which wowed and amazed the crowd.

"Whoa! That is going to be tough to beat!" The announcer smiled.

Atlas walked over to Atticus. "Don't worry, kid, I warmed 'em up for ya."

"You were great!" Atticus marveled.

"Thanks, do you think Connie was amazed?" Atlas asked.

Atticus smirked playfully. "I'm sure she was blown away."

Atlas smiled, then blushed as he heard giggling and looked over to Connie.

"That was amazing." Connie smiled to him.

"Uh, no problem." Atlas blushed to her.

"Competitor number 10: Atticus!" The Announcer announced.

"That's me!" Atticus smiled and went over.

Mo stopped him and gave him a kiss on the cheek for luck. "Good luck, Atticus."

"Thanks, Mo." Atticus smiled before going up to the tons dumbbells.

Mo smiled back and went back to the others.

"So how much for you?" The Announcer asked.

"I'll go for about three tons." Atticus smirked.

The announcer's eyes widened as he turned to the audience. "This competition just got interesting."

Atticus soon went over to the three tons dumbbell and lifted it up with ease with just one hand and left it there with just one finger. The crowd was even more impressed with Atticus and even gave a standing ovation. Atticus soon let the dumbbell fall to the rest of the dumbbells.

'The ones going into the next competition are numbers one, five, nine, and ten, the rest of you are out!" the announcer called.

The ones that were out simply groaned and left while the ones that did make it through to the next round smiled.

"Another round of applause for our winners!" the announcer called.

The audience cheered for the ones going into the next round.

"We'll start the anvil throwing in fifteen minutes!" the announcer then said.

Atlas was happy about this since he had perfect enough time to stay in shape while spending time with Connie. Connie seemed to like Atlas a lot more than her own boyfriend Rocky.

"Why not go spend time with Atlas?" Mo urged Connie as she gave her a slight push over to him.

"Oh!" Connie gasped slightly. "Mo!"

Mo smirked and continued. Atlas smiled nervously as Connie was coming right toward him. The two then decided to bond until the next competition and seemed to have a lot in common so far so good.

"I think Atlas would be better for Aunt Connie than that Rocky guy." Darla said.

"Huh, you ain't kiddin', kid," Rover replied. "Rocky's always rubbed me the wrong way and I keep meanin' to find out what it is, hopefully I will soon."

"And does Atlas rub you the right way?" Darla hoped.

"Eh, I don't know him that well, but he seems to be a lot better than Rocky." Rover replied with a small smile. He then decided to go and get to know Atlas a little more.

Darla smiled. "Good dog."

"Hopefully this guy gives me some respect," Rover mumbled to himself. "No respect with that Rocky guy... No respect at all."

Atlas heard someone barking and then he looked down to see Rover and bent down to his height with a smile. "Hey, there, boy!" he then smiled to the hound dog.

Rover smiled gently to the red-haired man.

Atlas soon started to pet him gently so he wouldn't hurt the hound dog. "Is this handsome devil of a dog yours?" he smiled at Connie.

"Rover!" Connie giggled. "What're you doing?"

Rover smiled and nuzzled up against Connie.

"He sure is a handsome little fella." Atlas smiled.

"Yeah, he sure is," Connie agreed. "He's just my special little guy, aren't ya, Rover?"

Rover yipped and licked Connie's face.

"He sure does love you." Atlas smiled before he looked and saw someone selling roses.

"Oh, he sure does..." Connie smiled. "Don't you, Rover?"

Rover smiled back to his owner, unknown to her, he could understand every word she was saying to him. Atlas saw he still had time until the competition would start and rushed right over to the rose vendor.

After a short while, Atlas came over with a bouquet of red roses with no thorns thanks to the help of his incredible strength. "Darn thorns..." he mumbled to himself. "Why do such pretty flowers have to sting poor innocents?"

Luckily, he wiped all of the thorns off with ease due to his strength once after that he came over to Connie with the flowers before handing them to her Darla whispered to him that it was Connie's birthday that day.

"Really?" Atlas asked. "You're not just saying that to make me feel better, are you?"'

"No, no, no," Darla replied. "It really and truly is, I have a special gift for her too."

"Well, I'm sure whatever you got her; she'll love it." Atlas smiled.

"Well go on and give her those flowers." Darla smiled back.

Atlas gently patted her on the head and went to Connie. "Erm... Hello, Connie."

"Oh, hi, Atlas," Connie smiled back to him. "Whatcha got there?"

"Um... They're for you," Atlas handed her the roses. "Happy Birthday."

"How did you know that it was my birthday?" Connie smiled before looking over to Darla.

Darla whistled innocently and glanced over at the sight.

"I, uh, picked it up." Atlas smiled shyly.

"We can see the--" Mo was about to point out until she saw that he was trying to be romantic.

"They're lovely, thank you Atlas." Connie smiled with a kiss to the cheek.

Atlas blushed softly and smiled nervously. "You're very welcome, Connie."

Atticus soon felt three crystals in his pocket and where he brought them out which showed Connie's reflection in the first one and Rocky's reflection in the second one and Atlas in the final one and where each crystal was a in the shape of part of a heart. "Hmm..." he wondered to himself about this.

'The anvil competition will begin in five minutes.' the announcer called.

"Those crystals look like they could be for us to see which one Connie is meant to be with." Mo said.

"That's what I'm thinking..." Atticus replied. "We have five minutes, shall we take a look?"

"If you think you can." Mo replied.

Atticus reluctantly placed Connie's crystal with Rocky's crystal and where they didn't seem to combine into a heart. Mo winced slightly at the shape.

"I don't like it either..." Atticus agreed, then took out Atlas's crystal with Connie's crystal. "Let's try Atlas."

And where to their luck, Atlas's crystal and Connie's crystal combined into a heart as they both glowed together.

"But Rocky is Connie's boyfriend..." Mo said.

"Yeah, but I think she would be happier with Rocky..." Atticus replied. "I don't know what Rocky's deal is, but something tells me we'll find out soon."

They soon noticed a note attached to one of the crystals.

"There's a note." Mo noticed.

'Last call for the anvil throwing competition!' the announcer called.

"Atticus, you coming or what, little buddy?" Atlas's voice called.

"I'm coming!" Atticus called back before giving the combined crystals and note to Mo before rushing off to Atlas.

Mo took the crystals and note. "Good luck!"

"Thanks!" Atticus called back as he went off for the anvil throwing part of the competition.

Mo then looked to the crystals and note. "Alright, what do we have here?" she then asked herself. She then saw that the note had Drell's hand writing on it. "Hmm..." she firmly hummed to herself.

The competitors then went to throw the anvils while someone would measure how far the throws have gone.

"Are you all ready?" The Announcer asked the competitors.

"We're ready!" the competitors replied.

"Let's start with our first champion, Miss Olympia!" the announcer called.

Olympia bowed with a smug smile and wave as she then lifted her anvil, though was heard straining and struggling at first, but then hoisted the anvil to a further distance.

"Now just throw it as far as you can." The Announcer said.

"I did that!" Olympia glared.

"Oh, not very far, is it?" the announcer commented.

"Fifteen feet!" a referee called.

"That's far," The Announcer said. "Next up is Thornton!" he then called.

The Swedish man waved and then took his turn.

"I bet we'll tie." Atlas said to Atticus.

"Yeah." Atticus smiled.

"Thirty-four feet!" the referee called for Thornton's throw.

"Okay, my turn." Atlas went next as he ruffled up Atticus's hair.

"Alright, let's see how far you can throw it." The Announcer said to Atlas.

"You're on," Atlas chuckled as he then lifted his anvil with ease. "Step aside, chumps and chumpettes." he then said in a playful tone as he then threw his anvil into the distance. 

"Eight-Six feet!" a referee called.

"Show-Off." Atticus smirked.

"Pansy." Atlas laughed teasingly.

"Next!" The Announcer called out.

Atticus spit into his hands and rubbed them together as he went over to his anvil.

"You may throw when ready." The Announcer said.

Atticus nodded, then picked up the anvil and threw it with all his might. And where it sky-rocketed straight forward until it crashed landed farther than the other, making the ground shake.

"Well, I don't think we need to measure that one," the announcer chuckled. "And it looks like number nine and number ten are still in and the final competition will be an arm-wrestling match between the final two!"

The two competitors who didn't make just looked jaw-dropped.

"Way to go, guys!" Darla cheered for Atticus and Atlas.

"It was a piece of cake." Atticus smirked.

"I really missed ya, buddy," Atlas smiled. "Congratulations on being the final two."

"You weren't too bad yourself." Atticus agreed.

The two of them fist bumped only for Atlas to wince out of pain slightly.

"Oh, sorry." Atticus said.

"That's okay," Atlas smiled weakly. "You weren't kidding."

"Well, I have been working out a lot." Atticus smirked, showing off some of his muscles.

Mo's squeal was heard from the distance.

"Atticus Fudo, I may not have seen you in a long time, but you never cease to amaze me." Atlas smiled.

"So true." Atticus smiled.

"How long until the final round?" Darla asked.

"They'll let us rest for an hour for food and then we'll get started, it's almost sundown." Atticus replied.

"Oh, I hope they hurry soon," Connie said. "The show will begin soon." 

"But doesn't this building close the same time the show begins?" Mo asked.

"I just need to move real soon," Connie sounded worried because of how close it was getting to her showtime. "I'd hate to be tardy." 

"Aunt Connie, can you, Rover, and Atlas keep a secret?" Darla asked.

"I'm sure you can trust Rover and I'm quite trustworthy myself." Connie smiled back down to her niece. 

"I promise to keep any secret you have." Atlas said.

Rover smiled friendly.

"So, what's on your mind, honey bun?" Connie asked Darla. 

"What if I said that Atticus could get all of us to the show the moment the building closes and the show starts?" Darla said.

"How would he do that?" Connie asked.

"Leave that to us." Darla smirked as she had a plan an action. 

"Um, well, then I would have to say he must be really fast." Connie said.

"Oh, Atticus?~" Darla called to her big brother. 

"Yes?" Atticus answered.

Darla then whispered her plan to Atticus which she had told Connie, Rover, and Atlas about. 

"I'm sure I can do a little magic work." Atticus said.

"Oh, you're the best." Darla beamed. 

"No problem." Atticus said.

Darla then gave him a hug. Atticus tightly hugged her back, but not using all his strength to hurt her of course. They soon had something to eat before the competition would continue.


	5. Chapter 5

'Welcome to the 31st annual strongman's competition,' the announcer announced. 'Let's have a big hand for our competitors.'

The audience clapped as the competitors then smiled and waved to their audience.

'The first prize winner will win to a seven night stay in a hotel and get free front row tickets to a magic show of their choice!' the announcer then said.

"What about the championship belt?" One of the competitors asked.

'That and the championship belt, don't get your spandex in a twist...' the announcer sounded snarky about that.

The announcer could see that everyone was waiting to hear what the competition was going to consist of.

'We'll start with simple basics such as weight-lifting, and then we'll have an anvil throwing competition, and we'll end with a tug-of-war, and if there are two still standing in the very end, we'll have an arm-wrestling match to finish it all.' the announcer then announced.

This interested the competitors very much.

'First up: Numbuh 1: Olympia von Tassel.' the announcer announced.

There came a strong European woman who lifted a 50 pound dumbbell. This got the audience clapping.

"Not bad..." Atlas said. "For a woman."

Olympia threw down the dumbbell and glared to him. "WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!"

"I mean that was good." Atlas said, trying to be nice.

"Hmm..." Olympia gave him a look.

"Our next competitor, number 2: Brutus Thurman." the announcer then called.

A muscular man came up next and lifted up a 60 pound dumbbell.

"Amateurs..." Atticus and Atlas smirked.

Throughout the first round, most of the men and women that competed weren't that big deal for Atticus or Atlas.

"Competitor number 9: Atlas." the announcer announced.

"That's me, buddy, see ya." Atlas smiled to Atticus and went off to take his turn.

"So how many pounds are you going to be doing?" The announcer asked the strong man.

"Hmm... How about one ton?" Atlas smirked.

The crowd gasped at that in shock and surprise.

"A-Are you sure?" The announcer asked.

"Positive, bring it on!" Atlas insisted.

"All right, bring on the ton load!" the announcer then called out to the helping hands.

And where the helping hands started to grunt as they started to bring in a load of dumbbells that felt as heavy as each ton each one was.

"Here you are, sir." the announcer told Atlas.

"Piece of cake." Atlas cracked his knuckles and then lifted the one ton dumbbell simply which wowed and amazed the crowd.

"Whoa! That is going to be tough to beat!" The announcer smiled.

Atlas walked over to Atticus. "Don't worry, kid, I warmed 'em up for ya."

"You were great!" Atticus marveled.

"Thanks, do you think Connie was amazed?" Atlas asked.

Atticus smirked playfully. "I'm sure she was blown away."

Atlas smiled, then blushed as he heard giggling and looked over to Connie.

"That was amazing." Connie smiled to him.

"Uh, no problem." Atlas blushed to her.

"Competitor number 10: Atticus!" The Announcer announced.

"That's me!" Atticus smiled and went over.

Mo stopped him and gave him a kiss on the cheek for luck. "Good luck, Atticus."

"Thanks, Mo." Atticus smiled before going up to the tons dumbbells.

Mo smiled back and went back to the others.

"So how much for you?" The Announcer asked.

"I'll go for about three tons." Atticus smirked.

The announcer's eyes widened as he turned to the audience. "This competition just got interesting."

Atticus soon went over to the three tons dumbbell and lifted it up with ease with just one hand and left it there with just one finger. The crowd was even more impressed with Atticus and even gave a standing ovation. Atticus soon let the dumbbell fall to the rest of the dumbbells.

'The ones going into the next competition are numbers one, five, nine, and ten, the rest of you are out!" the announcer called.

The ones that were out simply groaned and left while the ones that did make it through to the next round smiled.

"Another round of applause for our winners!" the announcer called.

The audience cheered for the ones going into the next round.

"We'll start the anvil throwing in fifteen minutes!" the announcer then said.

Atlas was happy about this since he had perfect enough time to stay in shape while spending time with Connie. Connie seemed to like Atlas a lot more than her own boyfriend Rocky.

"Why not go spend time with Atlas?" Mo urged Connie as she gave her a slight push over to him.

"Oh!" Connie gasped slightly. "Mo!"

Mo smirked and continued. Atlas smiled nervously as Connie was coming right toward him. The two then decided to bond until the next competition and seemed to have a lot in common so far so good.

"I think Atlas would be better for Aunt Connie than that Rocky guy." Darla said.

"Huh, you ain't kiddin', kid," Rover replied. "Rocky's always rubbed me the wrong way and I keep meanin' to find out what it is, hopefully I will soon."

"And does Atlas rub you the right way?" Darla hoped.

"Eh, I don't know him that well, but he seems to be a lot better than Rocky." Rover replied with a small smile. He then decided to go and get to know Atlas a little more.

Darla smiled. "Good dog."

"Hopefully this guy gives me some respect," Rover mumbled to himself. "No respect with that Rocky guy... No respect at all."

Atlas heard someone barking and then he looked down to see Rover and bent down to his height with a smile. "Hey, there, boy!" he then smiled to the hound dog.

Rover smiled gently to the red-haired man.

Atlas soon started to pet him gently so he wouldn't hurt the hound dog. "Is this handsome devil of a dog yours?" he smiled at Connie.

"Rover!" Connie giggled. "What're you doing?"

Rover smiled and nuzzled up against Connie.

"He sure is a handsome little fella." Atlas smiled.

"Yeah, he sure is," Connie agreed. "He's just my special little guy, aren't ya, Rover?"

Rover yipped and licked Connie's face.

"He sure does love you." Atlas smiled before he looked and saw someone selling roses.

"Oh, he sure does..." Connie smiled. "Don't you, Rover?"

Rover smiled back to his owner, unknown to her, he could understand every word she was saying to him. Atlas saw he still had time until the competition would start and rushed right over to the rose vendor.

After a short while, Atlas came over with a bouquet of red roses with no thorns thanks to the help of his incredible strength. "Darn thorns..." he mumbled to himself. "Why do such pretty flowers have to sting poor innocents?"

Luckily, he wiped all of the thorns off with ease due to his strength once after that he came over to Connie with the flowers before handing them to her Darla whispered to him that it was Connie's birthday that day.

"Really?" Atlas asked. "You're not just saying that to make me feel better, are you?"'

"No, no, no," Darla replied. "It really and truly is, I have a special gift for her too."

"Well, I'm sure whatever you got her; she'll love it." Atlas smiled.

"Well go on and give her those flowers." Darla smiled back.

Atlas gently patted her on the head and went to Connie. "Erm... Hello, Connie."

"Oh, hi, Atlas," Connie smiled back to him. "Whatcha got there?"

"Um... They're for you," Atlas handed her the roses. "Happy Birthday."

"How did you know that it was my birthday?" Connie smiled before looking over to Darla.

Darla whistled innocently and glanced over at the sight.

"I, uh, picked it up." Atlas smiled shyly.

"We can see the-" Mo was about to point out until she saw that he was trying to be romantic.

"They're lovely, thank you Atlas." Connie smiled with a kiss to the cheek.

Atlas blushed softly and smiled nervously. "You're very welcome, Connie."

Atticus soon felt three crystals in his pocket and where he brought them out which showed Connie's reflection in the first one and Rocky's reflection in the second one and Atlas in the final one and where each crystal was a in the shape of part of a heart. "Hmm..." he wondered to himself about this.

'The anvil competition will begin in five minutes.' the announcer called.

"Those crystals look like they could be for us to see which one Connie is meant to be with." Mo said.

"That's what I'm thinking..." Atticus replied. "We have five minutes, shall we take a look?"

"If you think you can." Mo replied.

Atticus reluctantly placed Connie's crystal with Rocky's crystal and where they didn't seem to combine into a heart. Mo winced slightly at the shape.

"I don't like it either..." Atticus agreed, then took out Atlas's crystal with Connie's crystal. "Let's try Atlas."

And where to their luck, Atlas's crystal and Connie's crystal combined into a heart as they both glowed together.

"But Rocky is Connie's boyfriend..." Mo said.

"Yeah, but I think she would be happier with Rocky..." Atticus replied. "I don't know what Rocky's deal is, but something tells me we'll find out soon."

They soon noticed a note attached to one of the crystals.

"There's a note." Mo noticed.

'Last call for the anvil throwing competition!' the announcer called.

"Atticus, you coming or what, little buddy?" Atlas's voice called.

"I'm coming!" Atticus called back before giving the combined crystals and note to Mo before rushing off to Atlas.

Mo took the crystals and note. "Good luck!"

"Thanks!" Atticus called back as he went off for the anvil throwing part of the competition.

Mo then looked to the crystals and note. "Alright, what do we have here?" she then asked herself. She then saw that the note had Drell's hand writing on it. "Hmm..." she firmly hummed to herself.

The competitors then went to throw the anvils while someone would measure how far the throws have gone.

"Are you all ready?" The Announcer asked the competitors.

"We're ready!" the competitors replied.

"Let's start with our first champion, Miss Olympia!" the announcer called.

Olympia bowed with a smug smile and wave as she then lifted her anvil, though was heard straining and struggling at first, but then hoisted the anvil to a further distance.

"Now just throw it as far as you can." The Announcer said.

"I did that!" Olympia glared.

"Oh, not very far, is it?" the announcer commented.

"Fifteen feet!" a referee called.

"That's far," The Announcer said. "Next up is Thornton!" he then called.

The Swedish man waved and then took his turn.

"I bet we'll tie." Atlas said to Atticus.

"Yeah." Atticus smiled.

"Thirty-four feet!" the referee called for Thornton's throw.

"Okay, my turn." Atlas went next as he ruffled up Atticus's hair.

"Alright, let's see how far you can throw it." The Announcer said to Atlas.

"You're on," Atlas chuckled as he then lifted his anvil with ease. "Step aside, chumps and chumpettes." he then said in a playful tone as he then threw his anvil into the distance.

"Eight-Six feet!" a referee called.

"Show-Off." Atticus smirked.

"Pansy." Atlas laughed teasingly.

"Next!" The Announcer called out.

Atticus spit into his hands and rubbed them together as he went over to his anvil.

"You may throw when ready." The Announcer said.

Atticus nodded, then picked up the anvil and threw it with all his might. And where it sky-rocketed straight forward until it crashed landed farther than the other, making the ground shake.

"Well, I don't think we need to measure that one," the announcer chuckled. "And it looks like number nine and number ten are still in and the final competition will be an arm-wrestling match between the final two!"

The two competitors who didn't make just looked jaw-dropped.

"Way to go, guys!" Darla cheered for Atticus and Atlas.

"It was a piece of cake." Atticus smirked.

"I really missed ya, buddy," Atlas smiled. "Congratulations on being the final two."

"You weren't too bad yourself." Atticus agreed.

The two of them fist bumped only for Atlas to wince out of pain slightly.

"Oh, sorry." Atticus said.

"That's okay," Atlas smiled weakly. "You weren't kidding."

"Well, I have been working out a lot." Atticus smirked, showing off some of his muscles.

Mo's squeal was heard from the distance.

"Atticus Fudo, I may not have seen you in a long time, but you never cease to amaze me." Atlas smiled.

"So true." Atticus smiled.

"How long until the final round?" Darla asked.

"They'll let us rest for an hour for food and then we'll get started, it's almost sundown." Atticus replied.

"Oh, I hope they hurry soon," Connie said. "The show will begin soon."

"But doesn't this building close the same time the show begins?" Mo asked.

"I just need to move real soon," Connie sounded worried because of how close it was getting to her showtime. "I'd hate to be tardy."

"Aunt Connie, can you, Rover, and Atlas keep a secret?" Darla asked.

"I'm sure you can trust Rover and I'm quite trustworthy myself." Connie smiled back down to her niece.

"I promise to keep any secret you have." Atlas said.

Rover smiled friendly.

"So, what's on your mind, honey bun?" Connie asked Darla.

"What if I said that Atticus could get all of us to the show the moment the building closes and the show starts?" Darla said.

"How would he do that?" Connie asked.

"Leave that to us." Darla smirked as she had a plan an action.

"Um, well, then I would have to say he must be really fast." Connie said.

"Oh, Atticus?~" Darla called to her big brother.

"Yes?" Atticus answered.

Darla then whispered her plan to Atticus which she had told Connie, Rover, and Atlas about.

"I'm sure I can do a little magic work." Atticus said.

"Oh, you're the best." Darla beamed.

"No problem." Atticus said.

Darla then gave him a hug. Atticus tightly hugged her back, but not using all his strength to hurt her of course. They soon had something to eat before the competition would continue.


	6. Chapter 6

"Oh, man, this is the best chicken ever!" Cherry gushed.

Patch sniffed something in the air. "Teller?" he then turned his head as he thought he could smell the mute magician around here somewhere.

And where he saw him. Patch then bit onto Cherry's pant leg and pulled it.

"Hey!" Cherry glared down. "Patch!"

Patch soon started to get her over to Teller.

"Patch, knock it off!" Cherry said through her teeth, then was bumped against the older man.

Teller looked down to her, slightly surprised and smiled shyly. "Oh, Cherry, long time no see."

"Hi..." Cherry turned bright pink once she looked into his icy blue eyes.

Patch soon left the two of them alone.

Cherry glared to the puppy. "I'm gonna kill him."

"Would you like to have something to eat with me?" Teller asked.

"Um... Okay..." Cherry shuffled her foot shyly.

The two of them soon went to a table. Patch smirked as he then went back to the others.

"How are your magic tricks going?" Teller asked.

"I'm thinking of going to an art school actually when I graduate." Cherry replied.

"Oh, okay, I understand." Teller said.

"Yeah, I think it would be good for me, besides, you paint all the time.." Cherry shrugged.

"True." Teller nodded.

Cherry then twiddled her fingers, not really sure what to say or do now as she stared at her plate.

"Um, so, I noticed that Atticus is in the strength competition." Teller said.

"Um, yeah...' Cherry rubbed her arm, "As if there's any doubt he'd lose."

"Well, he is possibly the strongest man or teenage boy in the universe." Teller smiled.

"Yeah, that he is..." Cherry replied.

"Are you okay?" Teller frowned. "You seem... Distant..."

"I don't know, I thought this would be fun, but I feel kinda bleak..." Cherry shrugged.

"Well, maybe it'll get exciting before you know it." Teller said.

"Hmm..." Cherry hummed.

"Why don't you come to my place?" Teller smirked.

Cherry's eyes widened.

"What do you say?" Teller asked.

"Oh, I wouldn't wanna be a bother..." Cherry sunk in her seat. "Besides, I'm with somebody..."

"It's Forte, right?" Teller asked.

Cherry held her arm. "Umm..."

"It's okay." Teller said.

"My life is so complicated..." Cherry sighed as she leaned against him and even started to nuzzle him. "I just want everything to be funny and easy for me."

"Most of life isn't easy." Teller said.

"Easy for you to say, you're a celebrity..." Cherry replied.

"Celebrities are just like people." Teller said.

"Uh-huh..." Cherry made circles on the table with her finger.

Teller sighed, a little worried about her.

After about an hour passed and their food was paid for; Atticus and Atlas went back to the competition along with the others.

'And now, for our big finale, the arm-wrestling competition!' the announcer announced. "Remember, the winner gets a free week long stay at the hotel of their choice with tickets to the magic show of their choice, and the championship belt!"

A strong table was soon placed in the center of the building. Atticus and Atlas were then sitting across from each other.

"Okay then, gentlemen; you two know what to do." The Announcer said.

Atticus and Atlas nodded, then took each other's hands.

"One... Two... Three, go!" the referee told them and blew his whistle.

Atticus and Atlas began to use all their strength in this, but of course Atticus wasn't gonna overdo it and possibly break Atlas's hand, but still would put all of his strength in it.

"Oh, careful, Atlas." Connie sounded more worried about the strong man than the strong boy right now.

"Don't overdo it, Atticus." Darla said quietly to herself.

Atticus did so while trying to win.

"You should really stop by to visit sometime, the family misses you." Atlas smiled while grunting.

"I'd like that, you should visit mine too." Atticus agreed through strained grunts of his own.

"I'll visit when I have the time which should now be any time," Atlas smiled while grunting until his own hand hit the table, not hurting, but showing that Atticus had won. "Congratulations."

Atticus then saw he won and smiled.

"And the winner is number ten: Atticus Fudo!" the announcer announced.

Everyone soon cheered. Connie was sad that Atlas lost, but was happy that he wasn't too injured.

"You did your best..." Connie said softly to Atlas.

"Yeah, he should win." Atlas smiled to her.

Connie smiled back, then looked at the time. "Ooh! I better get going."

Soon enough, Atticus used his magic to teleport them to the show as soon as he got his prizes which he of course would give the vacation one to Atlas and anyone he wanted to bring with.

"You behave yourself, okay?" Connie smiled to her niece. "I'll see you later."

Darla hugged Connie. "Have fun, Aunt Connie, break a leg."

Connie giggled and then went off backstage.

"Wait, Atticus, are you sure?" Atlas asked the strong boy as he was given a vacation to Hawaii and where he could take anyone he wanted.

"Well, yeah," Atticus smiled. "For old time's sake, and you're like the big brother I've always wanted."

"Gee thanks, Atticus." Atlas smiled before he saw that it only had two tickets.

Atticus smiled back.

"Two tickets?" Atlas noticed.

"I've been to Hawaii plenty of times myself, you should take someone else with you." Atticus hinted.

Atlas was confused at first, but then blushed when he had an idea of who Atticus meant. Atticus folded his arms and smirked.

Atlas smiled, then gave in. "She's dating Rocky!"

"Not for long." Atticus said quietly.

"What was that?" Atlas asked.

"Oh, nothing." Atticus smirked.

"You should come with us when Aunt Connie's show is over." Darla smiled.

"Hmm..." Atlas hummed to himself.

"Come on, it'll show that you care a lot about her." Mo said.

Atlas rubbed his arm shyly, he did grow fond of Connie despite her already having a boyfriend.


	7. Chapter 7

Rover soon brought Patch, Colette, Maisy, and Ellie May with him to what he does at night.

"Oh, boy!" Ellie May sounded excited about Rover showing them around at last.

"What a town," Rover smiled at his homeland as he took his fellow animals outside with him. "I tell ya, the action never stops! Tourists come from all over the world, it's wild, it's exciting, people get lucky here, and what a town to get lucky in. I've lived here all my life, it's a great town for people, but I tell ya, it's even a better town for me." 

"So what do you do here at night, Rover?" Colette asked.

"Tonight, I'll show you guys how to win at Dice." Rover smiled.

The others looked curious, but they gathered as other dogs who knew Rover decided to see him and join in on the fun. 

"They all have bones." Ellie May smiled.

"If ya stick by me, you could win 'em." Rover smiled back. 

"Wait, are they going to be betting those bones?" Patch asked.

"Seems like a foolish thing to do, then again, I don't get you dogs and your bones..." Maisy shrugged. 

"Let's see how this goes." Colette said.

"Place your bets!" Rover told the other dogs as he was able to shake the dice in his paws. 

"Let's see who's gonna win." Patch said.

"I love your pom-poms." Rover smirked t othe poodle twins behind him.

"Oh, we've heard that one before." one twin turned away with a slight sneer.

"Pardon me, I forgot you were a poodle," Rover replied, then rolled out the dice. "Come on, baby needs a new flea collar!"

The dice then came out as lucky number seven. 

"Seven, read 'em and weep, boys!" Rover smiled as he collected the bones. 

This caused the male dogs to groan out of defeat. Rover then took out other bones and tossed them to a few other dogs to challenge them. 

"You guys feeling lucky?" Patch asked.

"I dare ya." Ellie May giggled.

One dog even bet a wishbone like from a turkey.

"What's that?" Rover picked up the odd looking bone. "A chicken bone? Champ, what're you trying to do, kill us? We'll choke on that!" he then tossed the wishbone over his shoulder. 

"Aw, gee, I'm sorry, fellas..." the dog replied sheepishly. 

"That's a wishbone." Patch said.

:I call it a choking hazard, anyone else?" Rover asked the dogs about betting other bones.

Patch soon brought out a couple of bones and placed a few in the pile of bones in the center.

"Ya sure you wanna go through with it, kid?" Rover asked. "I mean, you're new in town." 

"I'm sure, besides I only put a few of my bones in; I'm saving the rest for the right moment." Patch said.

"Sounds good." Rover agreed.

A bull dog then threw a bone, looking rather aggressive.

"Sheesh, what's your hurry?" Rover smirked to the bull dog. "Ya chasing a parked car?"

This made everybody laugh. 

"Nice one." Patch laughed.

Rover smirked, then rolled the dice and he got lucky again. "Seven! I am one hot dog tonight!" he then bent down and collected the bones in his arms. "Stick around, honey, you bring me luck." he then puckered his lips to one of the poodle twins.

"I'm out of here." A Dalmatian told them before leave.

"Hey, where you going?" Rover called to him. "Hey, stick around, we'll play 'Connect the Dots'!" 

"Hey, come on, Rover; let's go!" The Bulldog said, impatient.

"Aw, Mugsy, I told ya, take it easy,:" Rover replied. "Hey, whatya got a dentist appointment?" 

"Hey, Rover, we have enough bones; we should quit while we're ahead right?" A dog with a blue collar said to the hound dog before seeing Patch placing the rest of his bones in the center.

"Hmm..." Rover smirked. 

"I suggest you do that, Patch is quite the lucky one back home." Colette smirked back to the hound dog. 

Rover took this as a bluff, not knowing what was going to happen in his next roll.

"You're a winner, so walk away a winner." the blue-collared dog said to his best friend. "Let's go home, right?"

"Wrong!" Rover laughed as he pushed the bones over. "I bet 'em all!" 

"Oh, Rover, no!" the blue-collared dog frowned. 

Another dog placed his bones in, unfortunately, they weren't as much as Patch's bones.

"Come on, baby!" Rover rolled his dice and they were first seven until one die turned over and came out as two ones face up: Snake Eyes. "Ooh..."

The poodle twins frowned firmly to Rover. Patch soon collected the bones as he was the one who won all the bones. 

"Nice going." Ellie May smiled to Patch.

"Huh, not bad for a kid." Rover replied.

The poodle twins then nuzzled against Patch.

"Uh, thanks, girls, but I'm taken." Patch replied nervously. 

Colette started to growl at the poodles, telling them to back off. The poodles then looked worried and backed off.

Patch then smiled and nuzzled against Colette. "Sorry, but she's the only girl for me." 

The poodles went over to the other dog next to them.

"I tell ya, everybody loves a winner." Rover scoffed. He then got down on all fours and left the scene with his little buddy.

Patch, Ellie May, and Colette soon followed them after Patch collected his winnings. Maisy winced in disgust of bones, but she went with the others.

"Boy, kid, you really got class." the blue-collared dog said to Patch for winning against Rover. 

"Thanks, I'm as lucky as my brother and father figure when it comes to things like this." Patch smirked.

"Ha!" Colette chuckled a little. 

They continued to follow Rover until they saw circus dogs.

"I guess that's my trouble," Rover sulked. "There's no place. I looked up my family tree, two dogs were using it. Hey, look who's in town!"

"Carmine's Canines?" Patch read the banner aloud.

"I used to work with them when I was a pup." Rover smiled as he led them right over there. 

"You did? What was your act?" Ellie May asked.

"What else? Preform with 'em!" Rover smiled. 

"She means what act did you do?" Colette asked.

"Comedy." Rover replied like it was obvious. 

"That actually makes sense with your jokes." Maisy smiled.

"Yeah, Carmine's Canines, they'd do anything for a biscuit." Rover then joked.

Eddie then fell on the floor and laughed out loud.

"Hey gang, how ya doin'?" Rover smiled.

The dogs noticed and smiled to Rover, greeting him as they had not seen him for a long time.

"They seem really nice." Ellie May smiled.

"Hey, Queenie, long time no see." Rover smiled.

"Hey, who's the handsome guy and other mutts with you?" the female fluffy dog asked, referring to the small group with the hound dog.

"Say hello to my friend Eddie, and these other guys are visiting Connie," Rover introduced. "That's Patch, Ellie May, Colette, and Maisy."

"Hello." Patch and the others waved.

Carmine's Canines greeted and smiled friendly to the new faces.

"Where's Flappy?" Rover asked casually.

"Carmine fired him," Queenie replied. "Couldn't remember the routines."

"Saw that comin'," Rover smirked. "Flappy was dumb. Man, he used to walk backwards and wag his head."

This caused everyone to laugh at that joke.

"I mean talk about dumb," Rover continued as their laughter put him in a better mood. "When Carmine taught him how to sit, he forgot how to stand."

Everyone kept laughing at the jokes of the dog they didn't really know, but Rover was quite the comedian.

"When Carmine paper trained him, that was something," Rover went on. "He went right on the paper! The only trouble was, Carmine was reading it!"

This caused everyone to continue to laugh.

"Same old Rover," a dog in sunglasses chuckled. "Do ya miss your pals?"

The other dogs agreed, saying that they had missed Rover.

"Rover, ya sight for sore eyes," Queenie smiled as she was painting her claws. "Come over here, ya big lug, ya... Oh, what about you, Rover?" she then asked. "Don't ya miss show business?"

"Are you kidding?" Rover replied. "I love my life in Las Vegas! I wouldn't change it for anything! I got it made here!"

"He sure does." Ellie May said.

A spotlight then shined on the hound dog. Rover then took a hat and cane and started to sing about having a dog's life and loving it. Later on, show girls soon showed up as he continued to sing about his good life. The other dogs then decided to join in and have fun. The song went on for a while until finally, it was time for Rover and the others to get back to their owners.


	8. Chapter 8

Rover led them to the showgirls' dressing room as they passed people playing poker, blackjack, and more. 

"Do you think she'd like a traditional red rose or a black rose to fit her gothic nature?" Teller asked his partner as the dogs passed as he had plucked a freshly reddened rose. 

"What is with you and that kid?" Penn snorted.

"I don't know, I just wanna..." Teller said before he saw Atlas with a rose and a present and where he had a feeling where he was going.

Penn folded his arms.

"Erm... I'll catch up with you later..." Teller backed up and went off.

Penn rolled his eyes. 'Desperate..." he then smirked to a leather jacketed clad girl who was at a Blackjack table. "Hey, if I could arrange the alphabet, I'd put 'U' and 'I' together."

"Same old Penn." Patch whispered.

There was then a scream and a slap heard.

Patch winced to that. "Ooh, that's gonna leave a mark."

Rover soon got a rose to bring to Connie as her present. They followed the sounds of the Happy Birthday song being sung for the blonde woman. The other showgirls sang Happy Birthday and gave her a cupcake on a plate with a candle on it.

"Thanks you guys." Connie smiled as she took her birthday cupcake.

Atlas took a deep breath before knocking on the door as Atticus and the others were by his side. Connie looked up with the other showgirls.

"I can't believe Rocky isn't here." one showgirl said about the blonde woman's boyfriend.

One of the showgirls soon opened the door to show Atlas and the others as Rover and the pets went inside ahead.

Connie was a little upset that Rocky didn't show up on her birthday, but she then instantly smiled once she saw the others. "Oh, Rover, you wouldn't forget my birthday!"

Rover gave her the rose and licked her with a fond smile.

"Aunt Connie, I have this special gift for you." Darla walked over with a tiny gift-wrapped box in her tiny hands.

"Oh, I wonder what it could be." Connie smiled before opening it.

Darla smiled as she stood back with the others.

Connie then opened up to see a tiny white box and opened up the box to see it was a silver locket with a curly C on it and she opened it up to see a picture of her with Darla when they were younger in it. "Oh, Darla, how thoughtful!"

Darla beamed to that. Connie soon began to try to put it on but had a little difficulty and where this gave Atticus an idea as they pushed him slightly over to Connie to help her get it around her neck.

"Uh, let me help you with that." Atlas said.

"Oh, Atlas, so thoughtful." Connie smiled to him.

Atlas smiled back before helping her get the locket around her neck.

"I'll treasure it always." Connie smiled to her niece.

"I was hoping you'd say that." Darla smiled back to her aunt. She soon opened each gift Atticus and the others had got for her.

Cherry gave Connie some perfume from Victoria's Secret which her sister gave to her, and Mo gave Connie a necklace that Elizabeth didn't quite care for much anymore. Atticus gave Connie the dress he had made.

"You're all so thoughtful." Connie cheered up instantly.

"Anything for you, Aunt Connie," Atticus smiled. "I can call you that too, right?" 

"If you would like." Connie allowed.

Atlas's gift was the only one that was left as Connie began to open his present next.

"Um, I have a present for you too." he then said.

"You shouldn't have..." Connie smiled fondly to him. She soon unwrapped it and opened it before gasping as she saw that they were ruby slippers just her size that she could wear where ever she would go.

"Ruby slippers?" Darla smiled.

"Makes me feel like a little girl in Oz." Connie giggled as she then stood up and hugged Atlas.

Atlas blushed a bit before hugging her back. After a little while, they separated and Connie soon tried on her new shoes with the help from Atlas; making her feel like Cinderella. Connie smiled eagerly as she then sat down as Atlas was about to slide on the shoes onto her feet. Rover turned his head at the door, sensing a disturbance, then growled once he saw who was there.

"What's going on in here?" Rocky smirked as he came into the dressing room.

"Uh-oh, this could be trouble." Darla whispered to Atticus.

"Mm-hmm..." Atticus looked disgusted with Rocky.

"Rocky, today's my birthday," Connie told her boyfriend. "Where were you?!"

Eddie whimpered and hid under the chair Connie sat in, feeling uncomfortable around Rocky.

"I was, uh, busy, baby," Rocky smirked to the blonde woman. "Yeah, I was working."

"Oh, yeah, he's a real workaholic," Rover smirked to the others. "Yeah, you mention work and he gets drunk."

This caused Patch, Eddie, Colette, Ellie May, and Maisy to laugh.

"There they fit perfectly." Atlas smiled at Connie as he got the second ruby slipper on Connie's left foot.

"Oh, they're so pretty, Aunt Connie," Darla cooed. "Like something out of Coco Chanel."

"They're perfect, thank you, Atlas." Connie smiled.

"Of course." Atlas smiled back.

Rocky glared as Atlas and Connie seemed to be getting along and sneered to the dogs.

"Um, I think we should go." Darla said.

The others were nervous about that, but they did as suggested.

"Happy Birthday." Cherry said to Connie on the way out.

The pets had the uneasy way for their way out.

"Get out of here, ya mutts..." Rocky grumbled to the animals.

"What she sees in that guy, I'll never know." Rover sighed as they were left outside.

"How's about we go for a little walk?" Patch suggested.

"Stick with me." Rover nodded in agreement.

"You got it." Maisy smiled.

"So, that little blonde girl was Darla, I wondered whatever happened to her." Eddie said as he walked along with them.

"She doesn't like to talk about it." Patch said.

Colette looked curious.

"I'll tell you later." Patch whispered for Darla's sake.

A while later, they soon heard a squeal of tires.

"Road hogs!" Maisy flinched out of fright.

Luckily, they missed the car as it stopped right in the middle of an alley.

"Stupid dogs." a man in an overcoat and briefcase mumbled as he went into a building with another man.

"Hey, let's see what's going on." Rover suggested.

"I agree." Patch said.

Eddie found a bone in a box and decided to take it along with him as they went to spy on the dark looking strangers.

"I think I found a window to a basement." Ellie May said.

The others went that way and poked their heads in. Rocky appeared to be there and the two men came to see him.

"Rocky, you here?" a man's voice asked.

Rocky smirked and lit his cigarette, revealing himself.

"Ain't that Connie's boyfriend?" Eddie asked.

"Rocky." Rover growled.

"I always knew there was something wrong with him." Patch growled.

"You ain't the only one, kid." Rover agreed.

One man with the case then opened up and showed thousands of dollars to Rocky.

"What's going on?" Ellie May asked.

"Shh, listen." Colette said gently.

Ellie May then listened with the other dogs as there appeared to be a scam going on for the money. Patch soon had an idea of how to ruin this scam as he looked at Eddies bone. Eddie gnawed on the bone as he watched the gangsters in action.

"Eddie, let me borrow that bone." Patch said.

"Um, okay." Eddie said, giving him the bone.

Patch took it. "I only got one shot at this..." he then carefully aimed and threw the bone against the lamp.

"The cops!" one gang member called out. "It's a set-up! Let's get out of here!"

"A bone?" Rocky picked up the bone and looked to see the dogs had done that and sent off his mob friends. 

"I got the stuff, let's go!" one member told the other.

"Yes!" Patch smiled.

"Hey, wait, it's just a dog!" Rocky tried to keep the gang from leaving, but it was too late. "A stupid dog!"

"Well, that worked just fine if I do say do myself." Patch smiled.

Rocky glared up with a growl to the dogs.

"RUN!" Maisy yelped.

"I agree." Colette added.

Rocky threw the bone at the window which shattered it as the pets started to run off for their dear lives. "ROVER, YOU'RE MINE, I'M GONNA GET YOU!" he roared as the pets went off.

"Quickly, let's rush to the condo." Patch said.

And so they did and it was around time for bed, but the humans were running a little late.

"I love the slippers, Atlas, they're just wonderful." Connie smiled to the man as she carried a sleeping Darla into her arms.

"I thought you might love them." Atlas smiled.

"Where on Earth did you get them?" Connie smiled back.

"I saw someone selling them." Atlas said.

"Well, you stopped at the right place." Connie smiled to him.

"Well, I guess I better get back to my hotel..." Atlas smiled shyly. "Y-You have a good night, Miss."

"The same to you, good sir." Connie smiled shyly back.

Atlas bowed to her and decided to get back to his hotel room. Connie smiled and then unlocked the front door and walked inside with the others as she carried Darla in her other arm while unlocking the door with her free hand.

"Time to get some sleep." Mo yawned.

"Come on then, we've all had a big day, but this was the best birthday I've ever had." Connie smiled sleepily.

They soon went to bed as soon as they got inside and closed the door after them as their pets got inside with them.

Patch yawned and stretched. "Man, I'm bushed."

"You said it." Rover yawned.

They all then went to bed after a big night in town. Rover put on his sunglasses and crawled into his bed, falling fast asleep. The next day was going to be the start of an adventure. Darla was very excited to spend some more time with Connie, but luckily, she managed to fall asleep. Atticus and Mo soon got into bed next. Due to how much fun and excitement of what the night brought, they all instantly fell asleep until the next day. And where the next day would be a surprise, but not in a good way for Rover or his animal friends.


	9. Chapter 9

Rover was a bit of a mess when he first woke up. Connie woke up early, already dressed so she could get going with the ones who wanted to go with her. Patch woke up next as he started to stretch. Cherry was asleep on her back, so she snored kind of loudly.

"Come on, Cherry, time to wake up..." Atticus gently shook his best friend awake.

Cherry punched him in the face before her hand twitched. "OW!"

"Come on, time to wake up." Atticus smiled.

Cherry groaned and sat up. "I was having a nice dream for once."

"Ooh." Atticus smiled.

"Shut up..." Cherry glowered as she then went to the bathroom to freshen up and get ready for the road trip.

Connie was in the kitchen and was cooking up a steak to give to Rover before she would leave.

"Mm." Patch smiled as he smelled a steak.

"Pass the tuna..." Maisy said sleepily with a sleep mask on.

"Maisy, why do you have a sleep mask on?" Ellie May asked.

Maisy removed her sleep mask with narrowed eyes. "So I can sleep?"

"Ohh." Ellie May smiled.

Maisy rolled her eyes. "Puppies..."

"Kittens." Colette sighed.

Maisy hissed to that.

Darla came into the kitchen and yawned. "Why do we have to leave so early?"

"Sorry, sweetie, but don't worry, you can sleep on the way there." Connie promised.

"Yay!" Darla smiled. "I still can't believe how thoughtful Atlas was as he agreed to be here with Atticus and Rocky to watch over the pets while we're away."

"Yeah, he's a real sweetheart." Connie smiled about that.

"You seem to like him a lot more than Rocky." Darla smiled.

"Oh, I don't know about that..." Connie replied. "If only you knew the Rocky that I knew."

'If only YOU knew the Rocky WE knew...' Patch firmly thought to himself in response about Connie's comment about her current boyfriend.

"Well I guess he's not that bad." Darla said.

Rover stumbled as he woke up.

"You okay, Rover?" Colette asked in worry. "You must be shook up from what we saw last night."

"Yeah, I think so." Rover said.

"Don't worry, Atticus will be right here if Rocky tries anything." Colette soothed maternally, despite being younger than the hound dog.

"Thanks." Rover said.

Colette smiled comfortingly.

"Rover, honey, wake up now," Connie called gently. "We're leaving now. We're going on the road."

"Yep." Darla smiled.

"The road?" Rover asked. 

"Here's a nice piece of steak from Joe the Cook." Connie bent down with a smile and pet her dog.

Rover sniffed the steak and actually winced in disgust. Patch looked like he wanted to eat the steak. Rover pushed the steak over to Patch. Patch smiled thankfully and then started to eat the steak since Rover didn't seem to want it.

"Why didn't you want the steak?" Colette asked.

"I'm not hungry." Rover moaned slightly.

"Oh, okay." Ellie May said.

"Rocky, don't forget Rover's water!" Connie called to her boyfriend.

Rover's eyes widened from the bright light as Connie opened the blinds.

"Whoa! That sun is bright." Ellie May said.

"Guh, warn someone next time, Aunt Connie!" Darla groaned.

"Sorry, dear." Connie said.

Darla rubbed her eyes. "Oy vey..."

"Tell me about it..." Cherry mumbled.

"I know I hate when the sun does that." Mo said.

"What's worse, that or when the teacher turns on the lights after a video on the projector?" Cherry replied.

"The sunlight." Mo said.

Cherry rolled her eyes. Connie then came into her room to put in her earrings as she was almost ready to go.

"Ooh, those are pretty." Darla smiled.

"Thank you, dear." Connie smiled back.

Rover came into the room as he saw Connie was getting ready to leave.

"Looks like someone is getting sad." Darla said.

"Oh, Rover," Connie cooed and knelt down to her pet. "We'll only be gone two weeks. And don't worry, Rocky, Atlas, and Atticus will take care of you all."

"Rocky?!" Rover snarled slightly.

"Yeah, I'll take care of him." Rocky smirked as he leaned on the door-frame and looked himself in the mirror.

Atticus glared to Rocky and looked out the window to look out for Atlas for Connie. And where he saw the strongman jogging all the way to the condo. Atticus smiled and gently patted on the window and gestured for Atlas to come on in. Atlas nodded as he went to the front door.

"Atlas is here, Aunt Connie!" Atticus called for the blonde woman.

"He's on time." Connie smiled.

Atlas walked over to Connie. "You about ready?"

"Just about, thanks so much for doing this, you don't have to, you know." Connie smiled to him.

"Yeah, but I want to." Atlas said.

"Your heart seems to be as big as your muscles." Connie smiled. 

"No argument there." Atlas smirked playfully as he flexed one of his muscles.

Connie giggled to that. Darla watched the two and smiled as Connie looked very happy with Atlas. 

"Why don't I help you pack while I'm here?" Atlas volunteered.

"I'm about done, but I suppose you could help me with the finishing touches." Connie smiled. 

Atlas soon started to help her with the finishing touches in her packing. Everyone else decided the two should have some privacy. 

Cherry checked the fridge for a quick snack before getting on the road.

"Want me to make you a snack?" Atticus offered.

"Sure." Cherry smiled hungrily. 

Atticus soon made a snack for her.

"What is it?" Cherry asked.

"Egg and bacon muffin sandwich." Atticus smiled.

"Ya spoil me..." Cherry smirked. 

"What can I say? I just like being creative." Atticus smiled.

Cherry then gently ate her snack so she wouldn't get carsick. And where the snack seemed healthy.

"That should hold you until the first stop." Atticus smiled to his best friend.

"Oh, man, this is awesome~..." Cherry moaned happily. 

Atticus soon smiled as he had satisfied his best friend. Cherry then went off to see the others as she ate her breakfast sandwich. 

Rover came into Connie's room as she put in piles of clothes into her suitcase and he made it look like he was helping, but was putting the clothes back into the drawer. 

"It looks like someone doesn't want you to leave." Atlas chuckled, referring to Rover when he said someone.

"Hey, what's going on here?" Connie chuckled herself, putting her hands on her hips. "I packed this already! Rover, stop it, we have to leave soon."

Rocky groaned and rolled his eyes as he came over to Connie's side. Darla saw what he was trying to do and decided to beat him to Connie.

"Oh, hi, sweetie, are you all packed up?" Connie smiled to her niece.

"Uh-huh..." Darla nodded as she stood between her aunt and the dark man. 

"Smart move." Rover whispered.

"Better than what you did." Darla teased.

Rover rolled his eyes to her. 

Connie was then on her way out the door, but struggled slightly from her heavier bag and she then accidentally dropped it.

"Honey," Rocky smirked to Connie as he took her lighter bag. "Leave it." 

"Well, it's such a nice day," Connie said as she picked up her heavier bag. "Why don't you take Rover and the other pets for a walk?"

"I'll do better than that," Rocky replied as he flicked his cigarette. "I'll take 'em for a ride."

"Yeah, one way!" Rover scoffed. 

Connie began to try to carry her heavier bag and where this seemed to be a sign from the Fates. "Gotta go." she said as there was the honk of a horn.

Rocky then spun her around, making her drop her bag again.

"Rocky~..." Connie giggled, but something felt different deep inside of herself. 

The two shared a quick kiss as Cherry, Mo, and Darla rushed to the ride to take them away for a little while. When Connie kissed Rocky, she didn't really feel anything and she wondered if he was really the one for her and if there was maybe someone better out there for her. She then began to think about Atlas. She then went to give Rover a kiss on the forehead and was also thinking of giving Atlas a kiss as well. The horn honked before Connie could see Atlas again and the driver urged for her to get a move on.

"Okay, I'm coming!" Connie called and grabbed her bags.

Rover then smirked as he pretended to be Connie's suitcase. 

"What are you thinking?" Patch asked.

"Shh, you'll blow my cover." Rover told him.

One girl from the car chuckled. "Connie, I think you got the wrong bag."

Connie giggled and pet her dog. "Rover, what're you doing? Stop fooling around."

The Fates were indeed making the heavier bag heavy for Connie only so Atlas would carry it for her and place it in the car for her.

"Thanks again." Connie smiled to Atlas.

"You have a good time." Atlas gave her a goodbye hug, but wanted to kiss her.

"Bye, thank you so much," Connie smiled as she waved and the car drove off with her and the others. "Goodbye, I'll miss you, Rover!"

Rocky smiled until he heard his girlfriend say the dog's name and not his own. 

"You should dump Rocky and go for Mr. Muscles over there" One of the girls whispered to Connie as she referred to Atlas when she whispered Mr. Muscles.

"Oh, I don't know..." Connie looked shy slightly. "He probably already has a girlfriend, but he is gorgeous and so helpful." 

The girls soon drove off to their destination.

Rover went inside the condo and sulked as he plopped himself down in front of the TV and watched cartoons. Patch and the rest of the pets soon joined him.

"So, what are we watching?" Ellie May asked.

"Looks like Looney Tunes." Colette smiled excitedly. 

"Looks like it." Patch smiled.

Rover was too upset to say or do anything. Rocky then smirked as he looked to the pets. Rover got nervous about that, he looked to see an open window and ran to it so they could get away from Rocky. 

"Rover, remember Atticus and Atlas," Patch smiled before looking to see where they were. "Where are they?"

"Atticus! Atlas! HELP!" Colette yelped as Rocky tried to come after her and the other pets. 

Atticus and Atlas both rushed inside and where they didn't get far as Rocky hit them both with a glowing hammer. "Oof!"

"ATTICUS!" Patch's eyes widened at his owner, then glared up to Rocky. "Why, you!!!" 

Rocky soon did the same to the pets as it knocked each one out.

"Okay, help me with 'em." Rocky said to the one that sold him the magical hammer.

"You got it, Rocky." the stranger agreed.

The two of them soon got the pets and two unconscious people into Rocky's vehicle. They rode up to the Hoover Dam.

"This'll teach Atlas for trying to steal my girl and I gotta let the kid join him; can't let there be a witness." Rocky said.

"You made a wise decision, Rocky, you take the pets, I'll get the guys." the man chuckled.

"You got it," Rocky nodded as he then held the bag which had the pets inside. "Goodbye, I'll miss you and your friends, Rover," he then said, obviously not meaning it as he then dropped the bag into the water to make the pets drown to their deaths. He soon heard the man grunting as he tried to got Atticus and Atlas over the dam and into the water. "What's takin' you so long?" he growled.

"I think they're trying to fight back, Rocky." the other guy grunted as he struggled. 

"Or that they are too heavy for you." Rocky rolled his eyes before he helped the man get Atlas and Atticus into the water.

"This'll teach that redhead for trying to move on your girl." the other man then chuckled. 

The two men soon tossed Atlas and Atticus over the dam. SPLASH! The two bags went down under the water while Rocky looked very satisfied. 

"You don't think they'll live, right?" The other man asked.

"Not a chance," Rocky replied. "They'll be drowned."

"And how are you gonna explain this to the others when they come back?" the other man then asked.

"Hey, you let me worry about that, bud," Rocky replied. "I've got a couple of weeks to cook up something until my chick comes back." 

"And what about her niece and her friends?" The other man asked.

"Just trust me, okay?" Rocky chuckled. "Come on, let's go before someone sees us." 

"Okay." The other man said.

Rocky and the one man then went off.

Teller was standing outside of a car with Penn, both had sunglasses and smoked cigarettes as the two rode off. "Oh, I may be silent, but I can be deadly..." he whispered roughly as he saw what the two men had done. 

"We're not gonna let them get away with that." Penn said.

"Nope..." Teller replied. "For once, I agree with you." 

"Then how's about we put Rocky's plan a different way?" Penn said.

"Oh, like you have a better idea than I do," Teller smirked to his younger, yet bigger partner. "Let's hear it." 

"Let's use our magic and get our friends to a someplace to a fishing boat so then they don't die," Penn said. "And I'm sure, within a few months; they'll be back and Rocky will spill the beans."

"A few months?!" Teller scolded. 

"However long those other people will be gone!" Penn shrugged. 

"I like it though..." Teller had to admit. 

"Great." Penn said.

Teller nodded. The two then went to sneak off together to save the innocent ones. Penn hummed the Great Escape in an attempt to be funny. 

"Really?" Teller asked.

"Shut up, you love me." Penn smirked. 

"Whatever." Teller rolled his eyes.

Penn took out two magic wnads and handed Teller his.

Teller took it as he then climbed on top of the dam to signal the magic. "Ready, Penn?" 

"Ready." Penn said.

The two magicians charged up their magic wands as they then zapped them into the water to save the ones who were trapped under the water. And where they were teleported to where a fishing boat was. The two magicians then shook each other's hands as they helped the poor victims. Penn then smirked and was about to push Teller into the water.

Teller jumped down as Penn then slipped from an act of karma and fell into the water. "SON OF A--!"

Splash!

"What was that?" Teller asked before seeing Penn wasn't with him anymore. "And where did Penn go?"

"HELP!" Penn called out.

"Penn?" Teller asked before covering his mouth ,looking slightly amused. "Are you okay?" 

"Get me out of here!" Penn yelled.

"Wait right there, I'll go get help." Teller called back, then rushed off to save the day. 

This caused Penn to sigh.


	10. Chapter 10

Meanwhile...

The bags did not drown the good guys, instead, they were being lifted up by a couple of guys on a fishing boat. And where the two bags were heavy.

"Hey, what have we got here?" one man took one bag that was easier to carry. 

"It's a cat and a bunch of dogs," the other man noticed. "Are they still alive?"

"Careful, Tom, they might be dangerous." the one man warned the other man. 

"What about the other bag?" The first man asked,.

"Man, there must be a bunch of bricks in here, it's heavy..." the other man grunted as he struggled with the other bag. 

Both men soon got the second bag on their boat before untying it to see what was inside.

"Oh, my gosh, it's some guy and a little boy!" the one man panicked slightly in shock. 

"What kind of person could have done this?" The second person asked.

"Someone unkind." the other man deduced.

"Well, what does it say on the pets' collars?" The first man asked.

"This one has a tie actually," the other man said as he examined the hound dog. "He has no address, it just says his name's 'Rover'," he then looked over the other animals. "Let's see... Patch... Maisy... Colette... And Ellie May."

"These two must be their pets," The first man said. "But we should first get them back to land."

"Hopefully we can carry all them." the other man said.

And as if by magic, they were able to hold the pets and two humans on their boat as they went to get to dry land as the sun was setting. And where it was thanks to the fates.

"What should we do with them?" the one man asked as they came to their truck on dry land.

"Oh, let 'em sleep." the other man said softly as he loaded up in the back.

After getting in the truck themselves; they started it up and drove off. The others lay in the back to get some rest and take it easy after the pain and horror they had endured. And where it lasted for a while until the driver had to stop to fill up the vehicle. The stop made the bags hit the ones in the back which then woke them up instantly in pain. Well most in pain some just out of groans from the noise. 

"We need to stop, we've been driving all night." one man said.

"All night?!" Rover asked as he then woke up. "Where am I?" he then crawled out from the back as the men filled their truck with gas and he wandered around as the radio played in the background.

Patch, Atticus, Atlas, and the others soon followed after him.

"Where are we?" Ellie May asked.

"Atticus, it might be just me, but I have a feeling we're not in Las Vegas anymore." Patch looked up.

"Nope, we're definitely not." Atticus said.

"I'm glad you're here though." Patch smiled in relief.

Atticus smiled back to him.

"I wonder how we even got here." Maisy said.

"I dunno, but hopefully we find out soon." Colette replied.

"YES!" Patch cheered. "A whole new adventure!"

"Where the heck are we?" Rover groaned. "No hotels, no people, no fire hydrants! Boy, are some of us in trouble."

There was then a horse neigh heard.

"A horse!" Rover came over to the horse. "We must be near the track! Oh, pardon me, I'm new in town, and--"

The horse then accidentally whacked him with its tail to swat away the flies.

"You okay, Rover?" Atlas asked.

"Gee, what a way to make a total stranger feel like a total stranger." Rover groaned.

"Excuse us, Mr. Horse, but we need to find our way back to Las Vegas." Colette said to the equine creature behind the fence.

"Las Vegas?" the horse replied as he munched on some grass. "I don't know any Las Vegas."

They then heard something that sounded like coins being earned.

"Hey, someone hit the jackpot!" Rover beamed and rushed over.

"A slot machine in the middle of nowhere?" Patch sounded doubtful.

"That does sound far-fetched." Atlas said.

Rover went over the hill and kept going, but then ran right back as there was a bunch of sheep chasing after him.

"SHEEP!" Maisy yelped and ran with the others from the woolly stampede.

"Should we stop them with our strength?!" Atlas asked while running.

"No, someone might own these sheep!" Atticus answered while running.

"Just run!" Patch panted as he ran.

They continued to run until they were all now being carried away by the wave of sheep. Rover groaned as he bounced along, feeling sick from the flock of sheep. There was then a dog beside the sheep and running to herd them as it was his job as a farm dog.

"Hey, can you help us down from here?" Elli May asked.

"Sorry, but I gotta herd the sheep, I'm busy, I'm working!" the dog replied as he was in a rush with the sheep.

Patch soon brought out a picture of a dog that looked similar to this dog as he remembered a farm that was miles away from his family's farm. "Hmm..." he hummed to himself slightly in thought.

Luckily, the sheep got out of their way, but then as more came along, the group jumped into cornfields.

"A cornfield? Wait, I know where we are." Patch smiled.

"Oh, there must be a sale somewhere." Rover replied.

There was then a corn grazing machine coming into the maize.

"Oh, no, quick, everyone run!" Patch yelped.

Rover turned to see the grazer and yelped, starting to run with them. They ran as quickly as they could. Atticus and Atlas jumped out of the way as the machine then worked up as they picked up the corn cobs and the pets with them.

"Stop the machine!" Atlas called out.

The pipes shot out the corn cobs and the pets with it.

"Oh, no, I'm turning into a corn dog!" Rover gasped.

"What is it now?" the truck driver came out with a young boy.

The boy leaned in and saw the pets. "Dad, stop the machine, we picked up a cat and a bunch of dogs!"

"Get us out of here!" Patch's voice muffled.

The farmer scratched his head slightly, wondering how that could've possibly happened.

The boy picked up Rover as there was some corn in his mouth. "This one's name is... Rover! Can we keep them?"

"Uh, I don't think so, son, they must belong to somebody." The driver replied as he held Rover in his arms while the boy checked out the other pets.

Atticus and Atlas soon came over to the farmer to tell him who's owners the dogs and cat were, but for some reason, they couldn't bring themselves to do so.

"How do we know whose pets they are?" the boy asked as he rolled off the truck.

"We better just drop them off at the animal shelter," the farmer told his son. "If someone doesn't claim them, I'm afraid they'll put them all to sleep."

Atticus and Atlas had to act fast.

"Put me to sleep?!" Rover grew animated all of the sudden. "I'm not tired! I just got here!" he then grabbed the farmer's legs. "Give me a break, will ya? Put me away, I'm not lazy! I work hard!"

"Put 'em to sleep?" the boy asked his father. "You can't do that, Dad. The dalmatian looks familiar too."

"Excuse me, sir." Atticus spoke up.

The farmer looked over as he heard another voice. The farmer and his son soon looked over and saw Atticus and Atlas.

"That dalmatian is mine..." Atticus said.

"Yeah, and, uh, the hound dog Rover is my girlfriend's..." Atlas said, though blushed as he said 'girlfriend' since Rover belonged to Connie and they actually weren't together, at least, not now anyway.

"And the cocker spaniel puppy is my girlfriend's and the cat/kitten is my little sister's." Atticus informed.

Patch and Colette blushed since Atticus mentioned the term 'girlfriend'.

"See, Danny?" the farmer said to his son. "They belong to others, we can't keep them."

"But we do need a place to stay; you see, we're not exactly from around here." Atticus said.

"I should say so, you look like a bunch of city slickers." The farmer remarked. "Besides, we got too many dogs as it is! This one doesn't look too smart anyway..." he then said about Rover.

"He looks smart, Dad!" Danny replied.

Rover began to agree with the boy.

"I dunno, son, he looks a little fat," the farmer examined Rover. "A dog like that would eat the whole house."

"Hey, are you kiddin'?" Rover glared as he tried to suck in his belly. "Look at this! Oh, I'm not fat, I retain water. I mean, could a fat dog do this?" he then attempted to do push-ups.

The fates soon started to send in an idea into Atlas's and Atticus's heads.

"He's not fat, Dad." Danny said.

"Uh, I dunno, son, how do we know he's healthy?" the farmer scratched his head.

"He's healthy... Enough." Atticus shrugged.

"Please, can we keep this one, Dad?" Danny begged as Rover tried to impress the farmer since the kid clearly liked him. 

"All right, Danny, you can keep him for now," the farmer eventually gave in. "But if he gives us any kind of trouble, he's gone."

"Hooray!" Danny cheered and hugged Rover, spinning around with him in victory.

"And you two and the other pets can stay as long as you want." The farmer said as the fates made it easy for them to be with Rover.

"Thank you, sir." Atlas smiled.

"Yeah, thank you." Atticus nodded.

"You seem familiar, have we met?" the farmer asked the boy.

"I don't think so, sir." Atticus said.


	11. Chapter 11

Patch soon started to sniff the ground to see if his theory was correct and where his theory was correct as he caught the scent of two farms and where one of them had the scent of his dog family. Roger and Anita appeared to be on the porch and Anita's stomach looked slightly bigger than usual.

Patch smiled as he came onto the farm and squeezed between his hundreds of brothers and sisters as Nanny was giving their chow. "Hi, guys."

The puppies looked over and instantly smiled. "PATCH!"

Patch smiled, but then his eyes widened as they all piled on top of him.

"What are you doing here, Patch?" Cadpig smiled.

"Yeah, usually you call before you show up." Lucky added.

"Oh, I just thought I'd come visit my favorite brothers and sisters..." Patch smiled as he got out of the dog pile. 

Dipstick walked by with a rose in his teeth.

"Where you going, Dipstick?" Patch noticed his rather dumb brother.

"Uh, nowhere?" Dipstick blushed.

"That's not true." Tripod smirked.

Dipstick then extended his paws and zipped off, panting with the rose.

"Dipstick!" Patch went after his brother. "Where are you going?!"

Dipstick then accidentally tripped, tumbled down a hill and ended up in the mud.

"Dipstick...?" a female dalmatian puppy with several spots asked.

"Uh, hi, Dottie..." Dipstick smiled nervously.

"Are you okay?" Dottie asked.

"Uh, I'm okay..." Dipstick smiled shyly and picked up the rose. "This is for you."

"Oh, Dipstick~..." Dottie smiled.

Patch saw this and smirked. "Dipstick's got a girlfriend~"

"He sure does." Tripod smirked.

"I always knew Dipstick would get a girlfriend soon." Cadpig smiled.

Dipstick and Dottie then smiled as they walked beside each other, Dottie then had the rose in her mouth.

Colette came on top of the hill. "There you guys are!"

"This sure is some farm." Maisy said as she came out.

Cadpig, Tripod, Patch, and Colette came back up at the top.

"Uh, did Anita eat too much?" Patch asked. "Her stomach looks big."

"Patch!" Colette gasped, then looked to see he was right. "It's not polite to--Whoa..."

Atticus came over to his pet and the others to see what they were talking about before he saw why Patch and the others were curious of what was with Anita. Roger was massaging his wife's feet.

"Atticus, why does Anita look like she's gained weight?" Patch asked.

"Shh..." Atticus shushed, then smiled to the Dearly couple. "Erm, hello."

"Oh!" Roger looked over. "Atticus, this is a surprise."

"Yes, so it is..." Anita smiled as she then held her stomach.

"I see that you two are going to be having a baby soon." Atticus smiled.

"Oh, how'd you guess?" Anita giggled.

"Congratulations," Atticus sent his blessing. "Do you know if it'll be a boy or a girl?"

"The doctor says a girl, we're trying to think of names." Anita smiled.

"Well whatever name you pick will be a fitting name for her." Atticus smiled.

"We know, but we're rather stuck..." Roger said. "There are just too many to choose from that we like."

"What do you have so far?" Atticus asked.

Roger took out his notebook with a list of possible names for their future daughter. "Jolene, Lisa, Jodie..."

Atticus started to think of a good name and then he got an idea perfect for a little girl.

"Those are all so lovely, but I'm just unsure." Anita said.

"I know what you mean." Roger agreed.

"Well why not Kate?" Atticus asked.

"Kate?" Roger and Anita asked in response.

"Kate Dearly, has a nice ring to it, don't you think?" Atticus smiled.

"Hmm, that name does sound like a perfect name for a little girl." Roger smiled.

"Especially our own." Anita agreed.

"Kate it is then." Atticus smiled to the couple.

"That's why she's so big!" Patch came back to his siblings. "Anita is going to have a baby!"

This caused the rest of the Dalmatian pups to cheer. Patch and Colette smiled to this.

"Um, do you happen to have a guest room?" Atticus asked the Dearly couple. "I'd like to stay with a friend while I'm here with Patch."

"Well, of course we do, Amber sleeps in it all the time, but don't worry, there's plenty of room for you two to share." Roger replied.

"Thank you, sir." Atticus smiled before he looked and saw that there was another farm a few blocks away.

"Ooh..." he noticed.

"Oh, those are our neighbors, that's where Maisy came from," Roger informed, remembering that the last time they had company over, Darla adopted one of the kittens as her own pet. "Farmer Hill."

"By any chance, do they have a dog that herds sheep?" Atticus asked.

"Yeah, that's their dog Raffles, the Hills have a lot of dogs." Roger nodded.

"Why do you ask?" Anita asked.

"Just wanted to know." Atticus said.

Atlas then decided to get to know Roger and Anita.

"We'll be right back, we gotta check on a friend of ours." Patch said to his siblings as he walked with Colette.

"Take your time." Lucky smiled.

Patch and Colette nodded as they went to check in with Rover. Maisy and Ellie May did the same.

"Who's your older friend, Atticus?" Anita asked as she noticed Atlas.

"His name's Atlas," Atticus smiled. "He's like a big brother mentor for me."

"Hello, it's nice to meet you both." Atlas greeted.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Atlas," Anita smiled. "How do you two know each other?"

"We kinda worked together in the circus." Atlas smiled shyly.

"The circus?" the couple asked. 

"Oh, I believe Amber told us about a story about you guys being in the circus and meeting the cutest baby elephant." Anita then said.

"Oh, you must mean Dumbo the Flying Elephant." Atlas smiled.

"That was the one." Roger then nodded to the name. 

"Now, um, who's Amber?" Atlas asked.

"She's my niece." Anita smiled.

"Darla's best friend." Atticus added.

"Ah, I see..." Atlas then smiled in understanding.

Tripod came over to Atlas, finding the strong man trust worthy.

"Hey there, buddy." Atlas smiled to the three-legged puppy.

Tripod smiled up to him before looking like he was going to tackle Atlas playfully.

"Oh,..." Atlas smirked and bent down slightly.

Tripod then grinned and tackled on top of Atlas.

"Tripod!" Roger and Anita called.

Atlas laughed as he was pinned down by the puppy as he was then licked by the puppy.

"Tripod was always the affectionate one." Cadpig giggled shyly.

"Yep and looks like he still has that gift that Patch gave him." Rolly said.

"I think Tripod likes this guy." Lucky smiled.

"Hey, guys..." a familiar chicken came over. "What's goin' on?"

"Oh, hey, Spot. Patch is visiting and he brought some friends." Lucky replied.

"Cool." Spot smiled.

Meanwhile...

Rover stumbled out onto the Hill farm, exploring with the others. 

"Stick around, Rover, don't wander off!" Danny called.

Rover began to hum a song while looking around the farm. A trio of blue birds flew over top of him and he passed a fence with noisy and hungry hogs.

"Hey, slow down, will ya?" Rover looked to them. "You're eating like pigs!"

"Don't be a wise guy," one pig glared to the hound dog. "We are pigs!"

Rover soon was startled by a cow as it mooed.

"Yeah, how do ya do?" he then greeted.

The cow mooed even louder and batted her eyes to the hound dog.

"What a vocabulary." Rover shook his head with a laugh as he kept walking along the barnyard. He then started to get curious about where he was.

"Rover, this is a farm." Maisy told the hound dog.

"Whoa, I always saw them on TV." Rover said.

"I bet you have..." Maisy hid an eye roll.

"This is too much!" Rover beamed. "Me on a farm! Hey ,you think it'll rain on the rhubarb? Maybe I'll change my name to Jethro. I'm on a farm, that's all I want, on a nice piece of pot of a land."

A familiar sheepdog then wandered around and spotted the strangers from before and decided to go see them. 

Patch went to the Hill farm and saw the familiar sheepdog and decided to greet him. "Hey, there!"

"Huh?" Rover noticed the sheepdog. "Heh... So, what's your name, Speedy?"

"They call me 'Raffles'," the sheepdog smiled to his company. "I'm a sheepdog."

"Hey, what was going on?" Rover asked him about earlier. "You were running around like a psycho. What's your story?"

"I was working," Raffles smiled. "Everybody works on a farm."

"Yeah, we know." Maisy said.

"What're ya working so hard for?" Rover asked the sheepdog. "It don't mean nuthin'. Lemme tell you something, it's who you know."

"Rover, everyone on the farm needs to do their part of the work on the farm." Patch said.

"Right, I'm on a farm," Rover picked up a hay needle. "Green grass, sunshine, fresh air!" he then took a deep breath. "I gotta get out of here..."

"Hey, gang, say hello to Rover and the others," Raffles said to the farm animals. "They're new around here."

The farm animals soon greeted the new comers.

"Moo moo, oink oink, okay okay," Rover walked away from them. "Good to see you too."

There was then a ringing sound heard. Rover's ears danced and his eyes lit up as Danny then rushed to the house to tell his mother the news.

"Uh-oh..." Colette said as she came over and saw what Rover was doing. "Patch, you better stop him."

The farmer came to join his wife and son inside.

"Rover, stop!" Patch stood in front of the hound dog.

"I need to go where the food is, kid," Rover walked away from him and climbed up the house steps. "I'm starvin'!"

"But, you don't understand; farm dogs are supposed to eat outside!" Patch told him.

Rover shut the door behind him.

Patch sighed. "Three... Two... One."

Rover was then kicked out of the house and crashed into the tree and the farmer told him the rules of being a dog on the farm. He then gestured for Patch to come over and so the puppy did. "You should've told me what you were gonna tell me."

"Come on, let's go." Raffles led Rover off somewhere else.

Rover then followed Raffles. Along the way, Rover sang 'Old McDonald', but had trouble with his vowels.

"You okay?" Maisy asked Rover.

"He must be homesick." Ellie May frowned. "I know I get that way."

"No, he's just a bit dizzy." Patch said.

"He'll adjust," Colette added. "I hope."

"Same here." Patch said.

"Hey, Patch, you gonna stay for supper?" Rolly smiled to his brother.

"Of course, well, in fact I'm going to be staying for as long as Rover is at the Hill Farm." Patch said.

"Great!" Rolly chuckled. "It hasn't been the same without you."

"Ah, I'm sure you have lots of fun with Lucky, Cadpig, and Spot while I've been away." Patch smiled to his chubby brother.

"It just has been crazy." Rolly said.

Patch chuckled. "I bet! I promise to visit during the summer."

Rolly smiled back to him. Patch nodded and went with Raffles and Rover to meet the other dogs


	12. Chapter 12

"Hey, guys, this is Rover," Raffles introduced. "He'll be staying with us. Rover, I'd like ya to meet Max, Duke, Lem and Clem."

"How can you tell one from the other?" Maisy asked.

"That's the challenge." Raffles whispered. "Even they can't tell each other apart." 

This caused for Maisy to giggle.

"Wow, I had a tough day," Rover came over to the other dogs. "I wanna relax. Hey, whatya do for fun around here?"

"Well, after dinner, we usually get together and howl at the moon." Duke replied. 

"I can hardly wait," Rover deadpanned. "So whatya do after that, play 'Watch the Wheat'?"

"Come on, fellas!" Danny called out. 

This made the dogs eagerly and hungrily rush over to get their dinner. 

"Whoa." Maisy said.

Danny laughed as he carried a pail of food and the dogs hungrily came around him and he threw out dog food with gravy and corn mushed up into it as he then poured it for the dogs to eat.

"Sheesh, where's Joe the Cook?" Rover grumbled. 

"This is the food you are stuck with." Maisy said.

"I don't know if Rolly would even eat this..." Patch cringed at the food slightly. 

"Patch! Maisy! Colette! Time for dinner!" Pongo called out.

"Oh, boy, see ya Rover!" Patch rushed over in excitement.

Maisy laughed and joined him.

"Oh, sure, leave me here..." Rover groaned. "No respect, I tell ya, no respect at all."

Ellie May seemed to enjoy the food however. Rover seemed disgusted by how Ellie May could also enjoy the dog food.

"Hello, Dad." Patch smiled.

"Oh, Patch, it's wonderful to see you, look at how much you've grown." Pongo smiled to his son. 

"I was here last summer, Dad." Patch smiled.

"Oh, I know, but you change every time I see you." Pongo chuckled.

"Yes, you really are a handsome young dog." Perdita agreed. 

"He sure is." Colette smiled.

Patch blushed to her.

"Hello, Colette, wonderful to see you again." Perdita smiled to the cocker spaniel puppy. 

"I'm happy to back, ma'am." Colette smiled as she bowed.

"Would you like to join us?" Pongo invited.

"I would love to." Colette beamed. 

Everyone was soon eating dinner. Patch helped Colette out a little since it was a lot more crowded here than her own home. 

Nanny smiled to the puppies and then went inside to see Roger and Anita for their own dinner. And where she also saw Atticus and Atlas. "Oh, a couple of guests to stay for dinner?" she then asked.

"Yes, ma'am," Atlas said as he set Tripod down to join his brothers and sisters to their dinner. "I hope that's okay." 

"It's quite alright, at least then we have more mouths to feed." Nanny smiled.

Atlas and Atticus chuckled as they then came inside the Dearly house to have dinner.

"I really like that Atlas guy." Tripod smiled.

"You two seem close," Cadpig remarked. "You want him to adopt you, don't you?" 

"Well, it would be nice to have an owner." Tripod said.

"I'll miss you very much." Cadpig cooed. 

Lucky could see how close Cadpig and Tripod were and began to think of how both Tripod and Cadpig would both get adopted together. "Hmm..." he hummed deeply in thought.

Later that night, it was time for bed, so Patch, Colette, Maisy, and Ellie May joined the other hundreds of dalmatian puppies into the barn to sleep for the night. 

"I hope Lieutenant Pug doesn't wake me up too early, I've been through enough for one day." Patch yawned. 

"Don't worry, he's on vacation." Lucky said.

"Thank goodness." Patch sounded relieved. 

"He'll be back next month." Rolly yawned.

"Oh, joy..." Patch groaned.

Spot nestled down with the puppies and fell asleep with them. 

"Where's Ellie May?" Maisy asked.

Colette looked around. "Guess she wanted to stay with Rover and those other dogs." 

"I guess so." Patch said.

Colette sleepily nuzzled up to Patch. Patch sleepily nuzzled her back.

Meanwhile, next door...

Ellie May came to see Rover and the other dogs, Raffles had given a bone to Rover to cheer him up about the dog food. Ellie May seemed to feel her heart start pound every time she saw Raffles even if they just met.

"You okay?" Raffles asked the small pit bull.

"Uh, yeah, I appreciate you helping Rover around the farm." Ellie May smiled to him. 

"It's the least I can do." Raffles smiled.

Ellie May seemed to blush at his smile.

"So, are you a country dog too?" Raffles then asked her.

"More or less," Ellie May replied. "I live in Tennessee." 

"That's fascinating." Raffles smiled.

"Yeah, I love playing with Hayden." Ellie May giggled.

"Is that your human?" Raffles asked.

"Yeah, after his mom met her husband who was her boyfriend back then, they decided to adopt me to make their family complete." Ellie May smiled at the memory. 

"How far is your home?" Raffles asked.

"Oh, I'd say kinda far from here, Michael's sister was watching me and then we came to visit Vegas, that's when we met Rover, and then, something terrible happened..." Ellie May said. 

"What happened?" Raffles asked.

"This man was supposed to watch us while the others decided to go with Darla's Aunt Connie," Ellie May explained. "He then threw us over the water in the Hoover Dam... I don't know why, but it was awful." 

"The guy sounds like he wanted you guys out of the way." Raffles said.

"We don't like him very much..." Ellie May frowned about Rocky. 

"I can tell." Raffles said.

Ellie May then yawned slightly.

"You better get some sleep, you've had a long day." Raffles said. 

"Um, mind if I stay for the night?" Ellie May smiled sheepishly. 

"Sure." Raffles smiled.

Ellie May smiled as she then joined Raffles to their shelter for the night. Raffles led Ellie May to where he slept with the other dogs for the night. Ellie May decided to sleep with Raffles as she felt a special spot in her heart for him.

Raffles made sure there would be room for her. "Comfortable?"

"I think so, thank you, Raffles," Ellie May smiled. "It'll be like staying in my kennel." 

"That's good; I wanna make you feel as comfortable as possible." Raffles smiled.

Ellie May blushed in response to the slightly older and kinder dog. "Come on, Rover."

"What, sleep in here?" Rover replied. "It's kinda crowded, isn't it? Maybe I'll sleep outside."

"I don't know, I have a bad feeling." Ellie May said.

Clem and Lem then began to have a debate about Rover's decision of sleeping outside. 

"I'll take my chances outside." Rover shook his head at them and went to sleep outside their shelter. 

Ellie May's fear soon got an answer as there was then wolf howls heard outside."What's that?!" Rover panicked from one howl.

"The wolves," Max informed. "They're hunting today. It's their blood feast. Be careful out here, Rover. They've been known to kill a chicken or two."

"Oh, yeah? Well, I'm not worried!" Rover replied. "I'm no chicken!" he then went back to sleep until he heard another howl which then made him cluck. 

Ellie May soon used her tail as a way to tell him to come in. Rover came in and shut the door behind him as the other dogs started to fall asleep. Rover then sighed as he took a spot in between Lem and Clem as he sang a song to himself as he felt terrible homesick with his new surroundings. Ellie May seemed to come closer to Raffles while she was asleep. Raffles seemed to smile and blush in his sleep as she did that.

Ellie May began to dream herself about Raffles' age. It then began to rain through the night. But before that, a star shot down and hit Ellie May lightly. Ellie May winced slightly, but turned in her sleep as something started to change deep with inside the pit bull. And where her body soon started to grow into a beautiful older version of herself one that would be old enough to have puppies with Raffles.

Meanwhile, in another spot...

Connie was getting ready for bed, she was wearing her bathrobe as she sat on the toilet with a magazine and Darla was taking a bubble bath. "I sure hope Rover and the others are okay, I can't help but feel something is wrong." 

"I'm having the same feeling." Darla said.

"Tilt your head back, please." Connie said.

Darla nodded and did as told. Connie then squeezed some shampoo into her hands and began to scrub Darla's curly hair. 

Mo started to get worried as well and where she could feel in her heart that something was wrong. Cherry was blowing on her fingernails as she sat on their bed. 

"Maybe we should call them." Mo said.

"Could you get the phone on speaker?" Cherry asked. "My cubicles are still wet." 

"I'll try his cell." Mo said.

Cherry gave Mo the number as she had known it by heart due to knowing Atticus for a rather long time. Mo nodded as she took the phone, put it on speaker, and dialed Atticus's cell. 

And where soon his cell phone started to ring as Atticus started to groan as he had it with him and where he had made it water proof. He flopped his hand all over to grab his phone and then answer it. "Hello?" he mumbled groggily.

"Atticus, did I wake you up?" Mo's voice asked. 

"It's the middle of the night," Atticus answered groggily. "Oh and by the way, Rocky is more evil than we thought."

"Is that right...?" Mo asked.

"What do you mean, Atticus and where are you?" Cherry then asked. 

"I'm at the Dearly Farm with Atlas and the others, Rover, and Ellie May are at the Hill's Farm." Atticus told them.

"What're you doing there?" Cherry then asked.

"Rocky knocked us out and tried to drown us." Atticus replied. 

"Should we tell Connie?" Mo asked.

"I'm not sure..." Cherry frowned. "It might kill her if she hears Rover is lost." 

"So how long until you guys get back to Vegas?" Mo asked.

"I'm afraid we don't know for right now..." Atticus said.

"Well stay there as long as you need I have a feeling Rover might learn a few things on the farm." Mo's voice said.

"Me too, but I swear, Mo, when I see that Rocky guy, I'm gonna give him a real piece of my mind." Atticus nearly growled.

"I agree." Mo's voice answered the same way.

"Well, I better get back to sleep." Atticus yawned.

"Oh... Yeah, you do that..." Mo sounded soft about letting him go. "You be careful."

"'Careful' is my middle name." Atticus promised.

"I thought it was James?" Cherry smirked.

"Hardy har har." Atticus groaned.

"Night, Atticus, sweet dreams." Mo said softly.

"I will after talking with you~" Atticus said dreamily.

Cherry groaned, but luckily for her, they did not overdo it and eventually hung up on each other so Atticus could get some sleep. "Thank goodness." She then sighed.

Mo stuck her tongue out to Cherry.

"Hey, girls, who was on the phone?" Connie smiled as she came into the room.

"What do we do?" Mo whispered.

"Oh, that was just Atticus," Cherry said. "He couldn't talk long, just checking in because he was really tired."

"Must be having a lot of fun with Rover and Atlas..." Connie smiled.

"Yeah, that must be it." Mo smiled nervously.

"Oh, those boys are so sweet..." Connie giggled.

Cherry and Mo smiled nervously as Darla came to get some sleep for the night.


	13. Chapter 13

Meanwhile, the next morning back on the farm...

Everyone woke up to the sound of a rooster call and the only one who didn't seem to like it was Rover and he even complained about it. Ellie May didn't seem to mind the roosters noise but she did find it annoying that Rover was complaining about the rooster making so much noise and then there came a hen complaining about the same thing.

"Chester, you're starting trouble again, huh?!" the hen glared to the rooster. "I can't leave you alone for two minutes! You're impossible! My mother and Cordelia next door never did like you!"

The rooster seemed to roll his eyes at her.

"Heh, you're really henpecked." Rover smirked to the rooster.

"You shut up!" the hen glared. "Stop picking on him!"

"Would you just shut up already?!" Ellie May's voice that sounded older shouted to the hen before coming out. "Besides, you were complaining towards your husband just as much as Rover was."

"Ellie May?" Rover looked to the pit bull. "You seem different... I can't tell what it is yet..."

"What do you mean different?" Ellie May asked, still sounding older as she was now a full grown pit bull.

"I can't tell, but ya seem... More mature than before..." Rover shrugged.

Ellie May went over to a bowl of water and saw that she seemed older. "Heh, whatya know? Ashley's right, kids do grow up fast!" she then chuckled once she realized what had changed. She then remembered what she dreamed about last and what she wished for. "Say..." she said to herself.

The rooster then got on her back and crowed loudly.

"OH, THAT'S IT!" Ellie May snarled to the rooster and started to chase him.

"You stay here little lady, I got." Rover told her before chasing after the rooster himself.

"Stupid chicken..." Ellie May grumbled as the rooster tried to run away from Rover. She then heard a familiar sheepdog yawn. She then came in. "Oh, uh, good morning, Raffles!"

"Good morning, Ellie May..." Raffles yawned and stretched. "You sleep okay?"

"Hey, did you ever hear 'When you sleep, you grow'?" Ellie May asked.

"Yeah." Raffles stretched before stood up and looked at Ellie May and was surprised at how much she grew.

Ellie May then grinned and wagged her tail eagerly.

"Um, how old did you say you were?" Raffles chuckled sheepishly.

"Hmm... Human years or dog years?" Ellie May smiled bashfully in response.

"Um, dog years?" Raffles replied.

"I think I'm a solid three now..." Ellie May said.

"Really?" Raffles replied. "That's how old I am right now!"

Ellie May grinned to him. They both soon heard a gunshot as it looked like Rover was caught trying to catch the rooster. Raffles and Ellie May looked nervous and looked out. Luckily, Rover had quite literally dodged a bullet.

The farmer glared as he then lowered his gun. "Leave those chickens alone."

"Whew, that was a close one." Ellie May sighed.

"That dog is dangerous..." Farmer Hill growled, then looked to his son. I told you so."

"He's not trouble, Dad," Danny got nervous. "He's just playing, that's all!"

"That's right, we're playing!" Rover smiled, then held the rooster in his arms to hug him. "Look, we're buddies!"

Patch came over to the farm after hearing the gunshot.

"Tell that dog to play someplace else," Farmer Hill told his son. "I've got work to do."

Patch looked up to him, then looked to see Rover holding a rooster and breathed in relief. "Oh, thank goodnes, I thought you got shot."

"Luckily I think that was just a warning shot." Rover said.

"That's right... Poor baby... Come to Mama..." the hen cooed as she then hugged the rooster before slapping him across his face. "AND DON'T YOU EVER DO THAT AGAIN! I'LL WRING YOUR NECK, YOU KNOW I WILL!"

Rover shuddered at the couple.

"Come on, you, get outta here." Danny lifted the fence so Rover wouldn't get into trouble for being around the chicken coop.

Once Rover was out of the chicken coop, Danny placed the fence back down.

Danny then spotted a stick and thought maybe a game would cheer the hound dog up. "Go get it, boy, fetch, boy, fetch!" he then picked up the stick and threw it.

Rover watched as the stick flew over his head and shrugged to the boy. "Hey, I don't fetch, you want it? You go get it."

"Excuse me, Ellie." Raffles said to the female pit bull and carried the stick in his mouth and ran to Danny to give it back to him.

Ellie May looked like she seemed to want to play fetch as well.

"Oh, good boy!" Danny hugged the sheepdog. "Good boy, Raffles! Hey, you wanna go again? Okay, here we go!" he then threw the stick again.

Ellie May laughed and she ran with Raffles to play with Danny. Raffles was about to fetch the stick again until he saw Ellie May running towards the stick.

"What're you doing?!" Rover called out. "He throws the stick, you run and get it, you bring it back, and he throws it again. I don't get it, hey, what's the point?"

"Oh, good girl!" Danny smiled as he pet Ellie May, knowing she had to be friendly.

Ellie May smiled as Danny threw the stick again.

"Because, it makes him happy," Raffles said to Rover about the game of fetch. "And it gives him exercise."

"If they want exercise, let them run and get it." Rover smirked.

"Then where's the fun in that?" Ellie May asked.

"So, what should we do?" Raffles then asked.

"It's very simple," Rover replied. "You do nothing."

"Fetch, guys, fetch!" Danny threw the stick again, but then the three dogs stayed completely still and didn't go after the stick to see what would happen. "Come on, guys!"

"I have a bad feeling about this." Ellie May said while sitting still.

"Me too." Raffles agreed.

"What's wrong, son?" Farmer Hill came beside his son.

"They won't play fetch with me anymore." Danny frowned.

"Well... If they don't wanna play, put 'em to work." Farmer Hill then replied.

Raffles and Ellie May then glared to Rover, blaming him for making them have to work. Patch shook his head and came back to see his brothers and sisters.

Colette was rather popular among the boy dogs.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Patch glared to his brothers. "She's mine, fellas!"

"Oops, sorry." The boys dogs said as they backed up.

"Hmph! Vultures..." Patch snorted as he then came to the female cocker spaniel. "Hey, Colette, you sleep okay?"

"Yeah, it's really different sleeping in a barn, but I'm okay as long as you're here." Colette smiled back to him.

"I'm happy to hear that." Patch smiled.

Colette smiled back. They soon heard Tripod having some fun with Atlas. Patch and Colette looked to see the red-haired man with the three-legged puppy.

"You're just a frisky little buddy, huh?" Atlas chuckled as he picked up Tripod in his hands.

Tripod nodded excitedly as he wasn't afraid to use his new strength on Atlas just for fun.

"I think I found a new home for Tripod." Patch said.

"Lucky and Cookie would be proud." Colette smiled to him.

Atlas soon looked and saw Cadpig and saw that she wanted to join in the fun. Tripod looked shyly to her.

"Oh, hello there, who are you?" Atlas smiled to the plucky female puppy.

Cadpig smiled and came up to him.

Atlas then looked at her collar. "'Cadpig', huh? You wanna play with us, Cadpig?"

Cadpig smiled and nodded.

"Okay then." Atlas smiled.

Cadpig beamed brightly. The three of them soon started to play.

"How do you think Rover and Ellie May are doing?" Colette asked.

"You wanna go check on 'em?" Patch asked. "Rover's not exactly a fetching type of dog."

"Oh, my... You know, I kinda expected that from a city dog," Colette walked with him. "Even Mom and my sisters and me do tricks sometimes, especially when Jim Dear puts a biscuit on our noses."


	14. Chapter 14

Rover, Ellie May, and Raffles were now herding sheep. Raffles and Ellie May smiled while Rover was out of breath.

"That was fun." Ellie May smiled.

"You okay, Rover?" Raffles asked.

Rover shook himself and approached the sheep.

"What is he about to do?" Ellie May asked.

"I don't know if I wanna know..." Raffles groaned.

Ellie May sighed and decided to go after Rover.

"All right, you cotton balls," Rover assembled the sheep like an army. "Listen up! I'm only gonna blab this once. Your Little Bo Peep days are over! Your mommies aren't here to take care of ya," he then looked down to the littlest sheep in the flock. "From now on, I'm your mommy! Now get this, you're gonna graze harder than you ever grazed before, you may end up hating me, but I'll make sheep out of ya! Always stay in a tight group, and no stampeding! Now, if you're gonna keep running back and forth, screw up, and you're lambchops! Remember, they're out there waitin' for ya with the mint jelly! Now, do we understand each other?"

"Baah!" The sheep responded.

"I can't hear you!" Rover replied.

The sheep then bleated louder.

"All right," Rover remarked. "Let's move out, move out!"

"Well that happened." Ellie May said.

There was then a distant barking heard. Rover looked over and saw the cornfield and there was another female dog barking to a bunch of invading crows.

"Who's that?" Ellie May asked as she noticed the female dog as well.

"Wow..." Rover looked rather lovestruck.

"Oh, her? That's Daisy," Raffles replied. "She's from the other farm next door."

"You mean the one that Patch and the others are at?" Ellie May asked.

"No, no, there's another farm not too far away from here, this is a popular country land." Raffles replied.

"Ohh." Ellie May smiled.

"What a doll!" Rover started to make his way over to Daisy.

"Whoa! Rover, you can't leave; all three of us are suppose to watch over and herd the sheep." Ellie May said.

"Hey, you and Raffles take a break..." Rover pushed her over slightly. "I'll watch the sheep. It's okay, trust me, yeah, I'll see ya later."

"Rover..." Ellie May sounded firm as she knew he wanted to go see Daisy.

"Go on, besides it should be easy watching these sheep that and you two could use some alone time, if you know what I mean." Rover said.

Ellie May blushed to that. "Well, okay, I just hope you know what you're doing..." she then went to go see Raffles.

"Oh, trust me, I do." Rover said.

"Erm... Hi, wanna do something?" Ellie May came up to Raffles.

"I'm just curious how you grew overnight." Raffles replied.

"I don't know, all I know is that I dreamed of being older and even wished if my dream would come true while I was asleep," Ellie May said. "And then the next thing I know; I'm older."

"Hmm... I usually don't believe in magic, but I guess I do now." Raffles smiled. "You look more beautiful than you did before."

This caused Ellie May to blush while smiling bashfully. Raffles smiled back to her while Rover was obviously falling in love with the dog next door.

"Don't those two look perfect together?" Colette asked Patch as she saw Raffles and Ellie May together.

"They do look adorable," Patch agreed. "I wonder how Ellie May grew up though? I didn't do anything."

"Must have been another source of magic." Colette said.

"Or a miracle..." Patch looked up to the clouds slightly. He soon saw a familiar female dog in the sky wink at him tell him that she was the one that granted Ellie May's wish. "I knew it..." he then whispered to himself with a proud and thankful smile.

"They seem like they are perfect for each other, but don't you think Raffles should be as strong as you so then he doesn't, you know, get killed?" Maisy asked Patch.

"That would be nice, plus Raffles has been so helpful for Rover during these tough times." Patch had to agree.

"So then go and do your thing." Colette urged her future mate.

Patch nodded to her. "Hey, Raffles!" he called as he went to see the sheepdog.

"Yeah, Patch?" Raffles asked before he bumped into a random boulder.

"Uh, you ever wanted to be stronger?" Patch offered.

"Sometimes, why do you ask?" Raffles replied.

"What if I told you that I could make you stronger?" Patch smirked.

"You can really do that?" Raffles smiled.

"Yep." Patch nodded with a smile.

"How?" Raffles asked.

"Gimme your paw." Patch smirked.

"Um, okay." Raffles said before giving Patch his right paw.

Patch then worked his magic as he took Raffles's paw. And where Raffle started to feel stronger.

Patch smirked as he continued. "You can thank me later."

After a while, it was done as Patch let go of Raffles's paw.

"Okay, now try out your new strength with that boulder." Patch said, pointing to the random boulder.

Raffles shrugged, he then went to the boulder and saw he was able to lift it like it was a simple paperweight. "Amazing." He smiled.

"I thought you'd like a little boost." Patch smiled back.

"Well, thanks, Patch." Raffles smiled, he then soon sent the boulder flying far away so then it wouldn't be in anyone else's way.

"Brilliant!" Patch cheered to that.

Ellie May was impressed by this as well and decided to get a little closer to Raffles. Raffles smiled, then looked over to Ellie May.

"That was mighty impressive, Raffles." Ellie May smiled.

"Thanks, Ellie May," Raffles smiled back but then due to his now strong ears he could hear someone or something climbing a tree and where he had a bad feeling what climbed the tree as he sighed. "Rover left the sheep."

"Oh, man..." Ellie May face-pawed. "I knew he would be distracted from Daisy!"

"Who?" Patch asked.

"We'll explain later, right now; me and Ellie May have to get back to the sheep." Raffles said.

"Oh, go, go, go!" Patch nodded to them.

Raffles and Ellie May soon rushed back to the sheep and stop them from climbing the tree. Rover panted as he rushed over and had a pair of boxers on his lower half.

"Rover..." Ellie May sighed.

Rover smiled nervously, then pouted as he felt bad for what had happened.

"How are we going to get the sheep down from the tree, Dad?" Danny asked.

Patch walked over and offered to help. Farmer Hill looked down to the puppy.

Patch bowed as he was going to help the sheep come down, but he then remembered what he did for Raffles and then decided to let him handle this one. "Raffles, why don't you have this one?" he then asked.

"Uh, I dunno, are you sure?" Raffles replied.

"Sure I'm sure, besides with your new strength; you'll be able to get the sheep out of the tree in no time." Patch smiled.

Raffles smiled nervously as he then tried to get the sheep out of the tree. He soon got an idea of how he could get them down from the tree as he started to push the tree down. The sheep were nervous and started to eat the leaves. Soon enough after just one push; all of the sheep were out of the tree entirely.

"Way to go, Raffles!" Danny smiled and pet the sheepdog. 

Raffles soon smiled before letting go of the tree, letting it go back up. The sheep then came down and scattered. The Farmer looked very firm to Rover since he was in charge of the sheep and he had let them get into the tree. Raffles soon went after the sheep and got to herd them all back into one place. 

Rover hung his head as the farmer looked firm towards him. And where soon the farmer was taking Rover over to a shed.

"You'll sleep in here 'til you can do something right." Farmer Hill firmly told the hound dog and shut the door, making Rover stay inside the shed for the night.

"Poor Rover," Ellie May said. "But at least he's learning the hard way."

"Man, what a day..." Patch sounded exhausted.

"Dinner!" Atticus called out.

Patch smiled tiredly and went to get some dinner. And where when he got to the food he went up to it with his siblings, future mate, and feline friend.


	15. Chapter 15

"Wow, this dog chow's pretty good." Maisy said.

"You eat dog food?" Rolly asked with his mouth full and chuckled. "I think I'm gonna like you."

"I might as well eat something." Maisy shrugged.

Rolly smiled and ate more than everybody else as usual.

"Oh, I just love your collar," Two-Tone smirked to Maisy. "You have to give me the name of the store it came from."

"I'll tell you sometime." Maisy said.

"Oh, great!" Two-Tone beamed.

Maisy smiled back at her.

After dinner, everyone laid around as it was close to bedtime. Spot was practicing playing fetch and even buried a stick in the ground. The other chickens laughed while Cordelia glared to them to make them stop and they did, she truly loved her daughter, but she really wished she would act more like a chicken instead of a dog sometimes. But she was happy what ever her daughter decided to do.

"How was that, guys?" Spot asked.

"Uh, not bad, Spot, but we usually bury bones, not sticks." Lucky replied. 

"Yeah." Cadpig said.

Spot face-palmed herself and took the stick out of the spot she just buried it in. 

"You'll get the hang of it." Patch smiled.

"Thanks, Patch." Spot smiled back.

"No prob." Patch smiled.

Spot then lay beside them.

"It's so good that we don't have early morning drills for the next month..." Whizzer sounded relieved.

"Aw, come on, Whizzer, drills build character!" Tripod replied. 

"You are such a military pup." Whizzer sighed.

"Yep." Tripod smiled proudly.

"Lieutenant's pet." Pepper scoffed. 

"You're just jealous." Cadpig said.

Pepper snorted.

"Thanks, Cadpig." Tripod smiled.

"Anytime." Cadpig smiled back. 

Later that night, Rover had a visitor. It was Daisy of all dogs. And where she was going to show him something he could see in the city. They had a little talk and Daisy brought Rover up on a hill. 

"I know they had big lights in the city, but do they have anything like this?" Daisy smiled as she showed him the prettiest night sky she had ever laid eyes on. 

Rover blushed as they looked up to the sky together. The next day, Rover would try to do better. Daisy went home to let Rover get some sleep as he was slowly falling in love with her.

The next day, the sheepdogs were eating their breakfast and where soon Ellie May joined them.

"She's over here a lot." Max noted.

"Is that a problem?" Raffles gave him a warning look.

"No, no." Max quickly shook his head.

"Good..." Raffles nodded.

"Excuse me..." Ellie May came between Lem and Clem and ate the food. 

Clem and Lem soon got Ellie May closer to Raffles as they for once both had a good feeling why she continued to come at the Hill Farm.

Nanny woke up the dalmatians and their company for their own breakfast.

"Atlas, have you ever had a puppy?" Atticus asked as he looked out the window to see Tripod, knowing the man had his eye on that puppy in specific.

"No." Atlas shook his head.

"Never?" Atticus asked.

"I've always wanted one..." Atlas replied. "I think I found the one I'd like though."

"So then, why didn't you ever have a dog before?" Atticus asked.

Atlas answered the question by showing his muscles and lifting up his bed with one hand.

"You were worried you'd be so strong, it'd hurt them?" Atticus guessed.

"Yes." Atlas sighed as he set the bed back down.

"Well, I think you're in good hands with Tripod," Atticus said. "Patch told me that the last time he was here to visit, he gave him a strength boost." 

"I can tell," Atlas laughed. "And I think I'm gonna adopt that girlfriend of Tripod's."

"Oh, you mean Cadpig?" Atticus asked. 

"Yeah," Atlas chuckled. "They look so adorable together, I'd hate to split them up." 

"Well that's very kind of you." Atticus smiled.

Atlas smiled bashfully in return.

"Morning, fellas!" Rover came out as he had a big smile on his face, meeting Raffles, Ellie May, and the others. "What a beautiful day! Wide awake and raring to go!"

"Who are you and what have you done with Rover?" Ellie May asked.

"Can you take Rover with you to the pasture, Dad?" Danny asked as he came with the farmer. "He can help you with the cattle!"

"Sorry, son, but that dog is worthless!" Farmer Hill replied. 

"That's rather mean." Ellie May said.

"He's been nothing but trouble since the day you found him." Farmer Hill continued.

"Hey, you didn't find me, you ran me over!" Rover glared. 

"He's not a bad dog, Dad," Danny frowned. "He's just not used to the climate, that's all."

"Yeah." Ellie May nodded.

"Like I said, you can keep him if you want him, but keep him away from me." Farmer Hill nodded firmly and drove away. 

Ellie May felt sorry for Rover as only a friend could.

"Sorry, Rover," Danny said as he pet the hound dog. "Please stay here and out of trouble."

"Trouble... Stay out of trouble..." Rover pouted. "Trouble's my middle name, all I do is get in trouble..." he then walked away sadly. 

Maisy frowned as she felt sorry for Rover and decided to follow him and make sure he stayed out of trouble. Rover mumbled to himself as Mrs. Hill was hanging up clothes to dry in the windy atmosphere. He then plopped down on top of the basket.

"Rover, that's clean laundry!" Mrs. Hill called to the hound dog. "Get out of there, you don't belong here!"

"Sure, I dont' belong here," Rover sounded like he was going to cry. "I don't belong anywhere." 

"Rover..." Maisy frowned.

Rover felt even more miserable when he nearly made Danny slip and fall as he carried a weaving loom with buckets of cow's milk inside. 

"Rover, look out!" Maisy called out.

"Hey, Rover, look at where you're going, you're in the way!" Danny glared slightly and walked with the milk buckets.

"So I'm in the way, I'm always in the way," Rover moaned. "I can't do nuthin' right. Nobody likes me! I'm not a sheepdog! I don't even wanna fetch!"

Maisy began to fell more and more sorry for Rover.

Rover was coming across the barn corner and saw a different cat who had just cornered a puny mouse. "Hey, tough guy!" he glared to the cat. "Hey, why don't you pick on someone your own size?"

The cat mewed and hissed at him. Maisy soon started to hiss at the cat. The mouse then escaped and went through a hole in the barn.

"Hey, take the mouse, he was askin' for it!" Rover replied nervously. "Yeah, he went that way, get him there!"

"Wait... Sergeant Tibbs, is that you?" Maisy asked the other cat. 

"Maisy?" Sergeant Tibbs asked.

"What do you think you're doing?" Maisy asked him.

"Oh, I'm very sorry, Maisy, I almost didn't recognize you, you see, the Colonel made me skip breakfast, I'm a bit cranky..." Sergeant Tibbs replied apologetically. 

"Why not eat one of the corn cobs?" Maisy asked.

"I want something with meat." Sergeant Tibbs replied. 

"Why not cat food?" Maisy asked.

"Oh, you just don't understand..." Sergeant Tibbs said and then took his leave.

"Man, he's a drama queen when he's hungry." Maisy mumbled.

"Some dog," Rover pouted as he walked away. "Can't even scare a cat!"

"Rover, it's okay." Maisy said.

"I'm nothing but trouble, I gotta get outta here!" Rover ran off to the road. "I gotta get outta here!"

A car then pulled up and nearly ran Rover over. Rover then shakily walked out of the way.

"Hey, look where you're going, you dumb mutt!" the driver glared.

"Leave him alone, you big jerk!" Maisy hissed at the driver.

The driver then drove off in a huff.

"Guess that's what I am," Rover sulked. "A dumb mutt. That's it, I don't fit in anywhere! I'm a dumb mutt!"

"No wait, Rover!" Maisy called out, trying to stop him.

"Get away from me, Maisy, I'll only cost ya trouble!" Rover told the cat and rushed off. 

"Rover, please stop!" Maisy told him before rushing off to find Daisy.

Daisy was taking a break after scaring the crows.

"Daisy, you gotta help me!" Maisy rushed to the female dog. 

"What's wrong?" Daisy asked.

"It's Rover, I think he's trying to run away, he feels worthless and he can't do anything right," Maisy frowned. "Could you go talk with him? He won't listen to me." 

"I'll try, but where is he?" Daisy replied.

"He ran off into the forest that's across the street." Maisy said.

Daisy nodded and rushed off that way.

"Bring him home, Daisy..." Maisy whispered hopefully. 

And where Daisy would. Maisy then came back to Dearly farm.


	16. Chapter 16

Atlas laughed as he now played with both Cadpig and Tripod as Patch, Colette, and Atticus watched in admiration. 

"They sure are having fun." Atticus smiled.

"Yeah, I really think it's a perfect match." Patch agreed.

Colette looked over. "Oh, Maisy, there you are..." she then frowned in worry. "Where's Rover?"

"Trying to run away, he's really sad here." Maisy frowned back. 

"Well he's just not use to the farm life yet." Atticus said.

"He needs to go home, we have to find a way home..." Maisy said, "Atticus, can't you teleport us back to Las Vegas or something with your magic?" 

"No, I'm sorry; but Rover has to learn his lesson." Atticus said.

"Wait, so we could go back the whole time?" Colette then asked.

"Yeah, but we have to stay around so then Rover can be with Daisy longer." Atticus said.

"Do you think they could have a future together?" Patch asked. "Rover's obviously in love with Daisy." 

"Yes they will, I can just feel it." Atticus said.

"Oh, how romantic~" Colette smiled. 

"Yeah." Maisy smiled.

Cadpig accidentally jumped too high and ended up on top of Tripod and the two spun and then laughed together. 

"You two sure are cute together." Atlas smiled.

Cadpig and Tripod smiled bashfully to the strongman. 

"They sure are." Lucky teased playfully.

"Hey, you're not jealous, are ya?" Patch gave his brotehr a look.

"Why would I be jealous?" Lucky scoffed.

Patch then thought about one thing during their vacation together during the summer when they went to visit an old time village. "It's Rebecca, isn't it?"

"Yeah." Lucky nodded.

"You miss her..." Patch said, sounding like a detective with high suspicions and evidence for his brother.

"Yeah." Lucky nodded.

"Why don't you use the Twilight Bark on her?" Patch then suggested.

"Yeah." Rolly added.

"She won't answer, I don't know why..." Lucky curled up. "I think she found somebody else."

"We'll use magic to see what's going on." Colette said.

"Okay..." Lucky sighed.

Patch and Colette frowned, poor Lucky. Dipstick hummed dreamily to himself as he looked more goofy than usual.

"I take it that your time with Dottie went great." Atticus smirked.

"Uh, Dottie who?" Dipstick pretended to not know who the girl dog of his dreams was.

"I'll take that as a yes." Atticus smirked.

Dipstick seemed to blush in response.

"Aw!" Colette smiled.

"Well, okay..." Dipstick admitted. "I love Dottie."

"I knew it." Patch said.

Dipstick blushed.

Meanwhile, Daisy continued to run until she finally got to Rover.

"Rover? Rover!!!!" Daisy kept calling as she came just as Rover was crossing a log over a tiny brook of water.

"Daisy." Rover said.

"Oh, Rover..." Daisy came to him.

The two dogs looked to each other and it was really just the two of them.

"What's wrong? You're not running away are you?" She asked.

"I quit, Daisy," Rover frowned as he stood up against a stump beside him. "I can't take it no more."

"I know you, Rover," Daisy frowned back. "You're not a quitter. You can do anything you wanna do."

"You make it sound so easy." Rover frowned.

Daisy tried to encourage him as he was down.

"Do ya really think I could?" Rover then asked her.

"I know you could, Rover," Daisy smiled and put her arm around him. "Don't give up."

"Okay, Daisy, if you believe in me." Rover smiled back.


	17. Chapter 17

The next day in the chicken coop...

"Well, Maisy, I don't know how ya did it, but Rover seems to be like his old self now." Patch smiled to the white kitten.

"Don't thank me, thank Daisy." Maisy smiled.

"I knew Rover liked her." Colette smirked.

"Mm-hmm." Patch nodded, then looked at the chicken coop at the Hill farm and then saw Rover coming out of the coop with a basket of eggs in his mouth.

"Looks like he's enjoying his new life now." Atticus said.

"I was hoping he would," Patch said about that. 'Something tells me that Rover is destined to stay here, even if he is Connie's pet back in Vegas."

"And as for Raffles and Ellie May?" Colette smiled.

"That might be a problem..." Patch replied since Ellie May was a young pit bull from Tennessee.

"This is something that she will have to decide on her own." Colette said.

Within the day, the others noticed that Rover behaved more and more like a real farm dog. Danny even played fetch with him and Rover brought the stick back like a normal dog would. Raffles and Ellie May were both impressed as Rover helped more around the farm and even kept the sheep in line. And where for the first time in his life; Rover actually got to see snow.

"Snowing already?" Patch asked.

"Christmas seems to come earlier every year, son..." Pongo chuckled as he sat with him and Perdita so they could catch up.

"That it does." Perdita agreed.

"Too bad the others aren't here." Colette frowned.

"Yeah..." Patch quietly whimpered.

"Oh, it's okay, you two..." Perdita soothed. "Colette, your mother absolutely loves Christmas, do you know why?"

Colette thought about it for a moment and merely shrugged.

"Jim Dear brought her home to Darling on Christmas morning." Perdita revealed.

"Ohh." Colette smiled.

"How'd you know that, Mother?" Patch asked.

"Oh, I never told you?" Perdita smiled fondly. "I was good friends with Lady when we were puppies."

"Aw!" Colette smiled.

Patch smiled fondly, then looked over to the chicken coop. Spot was walking by with Lucky, Rolly, and Cadpig.

"Hey, Spot, is it me or is there a turkey next door?" Patch asked the young chicken.

"Huh?" Spot looked over. "Uh, yeah, that's a turkey."

"Let's hear what she's saying." Patch said.

"Oh, Patch, eavesdropping is wrong..." Perdita gave her son a look.

"Sorry, Mom..." Patch frowned.

"Go ahead though, she won't be here long." Perdita then smirked slightly.

"Yeah, she just doesn't know how she's not going to be around long." Patch smirked back before going to the chicken coop.

Colette then went with him.

"And I wonder where Patch got all his mischievous ideas." Pongo smirked to his mate playfully.

"I think it might have been from you." Perdita smirked back playfully.

Pongo chuckled before nuzzling noses with his beloved.

The turkey had an egg in her arms and she seemed to gripe and complain as she wandered around the barnyard. And where this seemed rather entertaining for Patch and Colette. Rover even joined in.

"Now don't you worry about a thing," the turkey set her egg down on the ground. "Mommy's gonna take care of you!"

"What's happenin', babe?" Rover came right behind the bird.

The turkey yelped and grabbed her egg in slight alarm. 

"So, you're new around here, huh?" Rover then smirked.

"I am!" the turkey replied. "And I must say, this farm isn't at all what I expected, would you look at this coop?! Why, it's filthy! Oh, look at those fowl creatures, I'm not used to sharing a coop with chickens. Let me just find a new one, I won't be here very long."

"Oh, trust me; you aren't going to stay here long enough for Christmas." Patch smirked.

This made the hens in the chicken coop laugh.

"Well, that would suit me just fine," the turkey huffed, sounding rather snooty. "If you must know, there's absolutely nothing to eat here!"

"Yeah?" Rover laughed with Patch. "Look in a mirror!"

This caused Patch and Colette to burst out laughing while the turkey didn't seem to get the joke. There was then a whistle heard.

"Don't worry about it, Drumsticks," Rover backed up. "You will."

The turkey simply huffed at that. "Well I never in all my life..." she mumbled as she trudged away.


	18. Chapter 18

Danny was dressed in his winter clothes as he pulled a sled with Rover riding on it. Patch, Colette, Ellie May, and Maisy decided to join in.

"Slow down!" Rover gasped as he tried to catch up with the blonde boy. "Whatya think I am, a reindeer?" he then hitched a ride on the sled.

"That's one way to keep up." Patch smiled.

"Hey, Dad, how 'bout this one?" Danny stopped at a very large tree.

"It's a nice tree, son, but it's too big for our home." Farmer Hill chuckled.

Danny then came to another tree. "This one looks pretty good."

Rover pouted as the family were focused on each other and he looked left out.

"What's wrong?" Daisy asked.

"Well, they should ask my opinion," Rover replied, sounding insulted. "I mean, with trees, I'm an expert. Why, that's where I do my business."

"Dad! Dad! I found one! I found one!" Danny called and ran to his father who had the axe.

Rover came up to the tree and sniffed it.

"Rover, what do you think you're doing?" Colette asked.

"Rover, no!" Daisy rushed over to the hound dog. "It's a Christmas tree!"

"Hey, guys, take it easy, will ya?" Rover stood up on his hind legs. "You got me wrong, when it comes to Christmas, I have feelings too."

"That's a relief." Ellie May sighed.

"No way, I'd never do it on a Christmas tree!" Rover replied. "What would Santa think?"

"Good point." Colette nodded.

Farmer Hill was now chopping down the tree for his family this holiday season. And during that, Rover was starting to sing. Patch and Colette slightly rolled their eyes about the song. Danny and his father then pushed the tree down once it was cut enough. Patch began to come over to the farmer and his son so he could pull the tree for them. The farmer and Danny smiled as Patch came to help them.

"He's so dreamy." Colette smiled dreamily.

"Yes..." Daisy agreed, though she seemed to be looking at Rover and not Patch.

"Do you even know who she's talking about?" Ellie May asked Daisy.

Daisy kept her eyes on the hound dog as she seemed to be in a whole other world right now.

Rover continued his song as he stood on top of the tree as the tree was pulled into the farmer's house and he then danced on top of the stair railing, passing a snowman as the family then decorated their tree.

"She is so in love." Colette smiled.

Patch then came out of the house as the family decorated it.

"That was so kind of you." Colette smiled.

"I have a big heart." Patch smiled back.

"Just like your muscles." Colette smiled dreamily.

Patch blushed to that. "Oh, Collie..."

Colette soon came up to him nuzzling up to him. Patch blushed and nuzzled back to her.

"How long have you two known each other?" Daisy smiled at the puppy couple.

"Months." The puppy couple smiled.

"Well, congratulations." Daisy smiled back.

"Thanks." Colette smiled.

"Do you like Rover, Miss Daisy?" Patch asked.

Daisy blushed slightly. "I think I do."

"Aw!" Ellie May smiled.

"So, how's Raffles?" Patch smirked.

"He's still super handsome, I mean strong, I meant to say super strong and amazing, wait, what was the question again?" Ellie May asked blushing.

This only made Patch, Colette, and Daisy smirk. This even caused Raffles to blush. 

Ellie May smiled nervously, then turned around and her eyes widened once she saw the sheepdog had heard every word. "Ooh, Raffles!"

"H-Hey Ellie May." Raffles blushed while trying to sound cool.

Patch and Colette looked to each other.

"Seems like everybody's being bitten by the love bug lately." Colette commented.

"Boy, you can say that again." Patch agreed.

"Hey, folks, I'll never dampen your holidays." Rover kicked open the farmer's door.

Farmer Hill then shut the door in his face since he was a dog.

"No respect," Rover frowned. "No respect at all."

"Well, they just didn't want to let any cold inside." Patch said.

"Hmph..." Rover pouted.

Later that night, the family began to roast marshmallows.

The others decided to give Rover and Daisy some privacy as they watched the family share a sweet bond over the crackling fire. Atticus sighed a little on Roger and Anita's window and drew a heart on it with his finger and wrote his and Mo's initials on it as he felt not only homesick, but missing his girl back home. 

Atlas could tell of how Atticus was feeling because he was feeling the same thing. "You missing someone back home?" he then asked the boy.

"What else is new?" Atticus sighed. "I still remember when I had a hard time deciding whether to stay with my parents or chose Cherry before her mother got a new job in London."

"It must have been a hard choice." Atlas said.

"Oh, man, you have no idea..." Atticus said to him. "I don't know what I'd do if Cherry's mother hadn't gotten that job offer," He soon saw Atlas looking like he was someplace else. "Uh, Atlas?"

Atlas sighed as he had his mind elsewhere and he started to daydream about spending more and more time with Connie as his own girlfriend.

"Hello, Earth to Atlas?" Atticus said.

"Huh? Oh, yes, very interesting..." Atlas woke up then.

Atticus soon has an idea of who Atlas was thinking about. "This isn't about Connie, is it?" he then smirked.

Atlas's face turned red at the mention of the woman. "What about Connie?"

"You love her, don't you?" Atticus asked.

Atlas blushed again. "She's really beautiful..."

"Yeah, she is..." Atticus had to agree there.

"I just was that she wasn't with that jerk." Atlas said.

"Yeah, I know what you mean, that guy's totally not for her..." Atticus agreed.

"I just wish Connie could see that." Atlas sighed.

"Don't worry, Atlas, I'm sure something will give Rocky a big taste of karma." Atticus soothed.

There was then a howl heard.

Atticus's eyes widened and he put his hand to his ear. "Wolf..." he whispered.

"We better take a look and see if the wolves are attacking Farmer Hill's farm." Atlas whispered.

Atticus nodded. They then snuck downstairs so they wouldn't disturb Roger, Anita, or Nanny while they would sleep and then ran out the door to check out to see if there were in fact wolves out on the farm next-door.


	19. Chapter 19

There were three wolves creeping around in the snow who were headed for the chicken coop. Atticus and Atlas were about to sneak on the three carnivores, but then their eyes widened and they stopped as Rover seemed to fall out from the hay loft.

"We have to go and see if he's okay." Atticus whispered.

"Come on then." Atlas nodded.

Rover struggled and got up on all fours. 

"Are you okay, Rover?" Atticus asked the hound dog.

"Yeah, but look; there are wolves here." Rover said.

"We know, we gotta get rid of 'em." Atticus nodded.

"Yeah and looks like they're on their way to the chicken coop." Atlas said.

"They must be here to kill the turkey." Atticus said.

"I gotta do something!" Rover panicked.

Before anything else could be said, Rover soon went to the chicken coop. Atticus and Atlas rushed to help him, knowing this couldn't end well since Rover was a city dog. And where they would be correct.

"You got a plan?" Atlas asked Atticus.

Atticus began to think of a plan until he came up with one that would trap the wolves long enough for Farmer Hill to get outside and finish them off.

"I just feel like something's gonna happen..." Atlas whispered to Atticus as they came up with a plan.

Atticus soon used his magic to bring out nets with bells attached to them. Atlas did a double take.

"Oh, didn't you know I'm a wiccan?" Atticus replied. "I thought you knew..."

"I heard about it, but I never actually seen it in person." Atlas replied.

Atticus soon set the trap and where they were set to trap the wolves. Atlas helped in any way that he could and kept a close eye out for the wolves. The wolves came around and spotted Rover, thinking he would be more appetizing than the turkey.

"Rover, quickly, over here!" Atticus said.

Rover did not come right away.

"Rover?" Atticus asked.

"Get him, boys, I'll get the turkey." one wolf told the other two.

"Hey!" Atticus called out before throwing a rock at the first wolf.

"What the?!" the wolf snarled and turned his head.

"Get outta here..." Atticus glowered.

The wolf laughed at the 'mere boy'. "Or else what?"

"Come and get us and find out you three or unless you are too scared." Atlas taunted.

The wolves snarled and went for Atticus and Atlas instead of the coop now. Atticus and Atlas both lured them towards their trap they had for the wolves and where the nets were hidden with magic. The wolves snarled and stalked over to Atticus and Atlas.

"Now, let's have a couple of puny humans for breakfast, a chubby mutt for lunch, and a sensible turkey for dinner." the alpha wolf told the two others.

The other two nodded in agreement until the three of them were caught in nets that were made of chains.

"Gotcha." Atticus and Atlas smirked.

"Dang it!" The wolves barked.

"What is going on out there? I'm trying to sleep!" the turkey came out of the coop and yelled out. "WOLVES!!!!"

Atticus and Atlas soon used their incredible strength to hold all three wolves down. The turkey looked utterly terrified as she clutched her egg.

"Rover, quick, bark so then Farmer Hill can see what tried to attack the turkey." Atlas said.

"You got it!" Rover rushed off and barked rapidly to wake the farmer up.

The wolves attempted to get loose from their trap.

"You won't get out, so don't even try--" Atticus glared.

The wolves began to try to get out, but failed due to Atticus's and Atlas's strength.

"That one's for the Three Little Pigs," Atlas smirked to one wolf, then came to another. "I bet you'd rather be at Grandma's house, who do you think you're messing with, Little Red Riding Hood?"

Atticus glanced at him for those jokes. "Seriously?"

"What? I couldn't resist." Atlas smirked.

Atticus rolled his eyes.

Danny woke up and opened his window. "Rover, what is it, boy?"

Rover pointed to the coop and barked rapidly since Danny could not talk to animals.

"ROVER, GO TO SLEEP!" Farmer Hill yelled.

"Dad, I think Rover's tryin' to tell us something!" Danny called back.

Farmer Hill and Danny both came to the chicken coop and where they saw the three wolves trapped inside the chain nets.

"Well, I'll be..." Farmer Hill replied.

Rover panted as he came over to the trapped wolves and the farmer and his son.

"Looks like we lost, boys." The Alpha wolf sighed.

"Dang..." the other two wolves frowned.

Before everyone knew it, Rover, Atlas, and Atticus were in the newspaper as the wolves were properly disposed of and the three good ones had saved the farmer. Though the turkey was going to be eaten anyway, she was even thankful of their help.

Meanwhile...

Eddie was rather glum since his best friend was taken away, but then saw a man reading the paper to see Rover, Atticus, and Atlas's pictures, then jumped on the man's lap, ripped it out with his mouth, and rushed off to find the others immediately. And where he knew exactly which one to go to first.

Cherry and Mo were supervising Darla as she was visiting a casino to see what one was like up close. Penn and Teller were also there and deciding to cause a little mischief. Eddie was making his way to Connie. As he did, Cherry looked to see the two magicians at the slot machines. Teller had a bucket of coins and was sneaking some to an unsuspecting man. After a while, the man caught on and glared to Teller.

"You, uh, gonna put up with that?" Penn asked as he leaned against his machine.

"Oh, this can't end well." Cherry sighed.

'No, I mean, yes," the man replied, confused. "Can't fight a guy for giving me more money."

"He does make a good point." Mo said.

"Yes, you can, I would," Penn shook his head in dismissal. "He's just an example of another pig power structure with worthless trinkets through the power..."

Darla hid a giggle as Teller then did it to Penn's machine.

"This is a little funny." Mo giggled.

Darla agreed.

"Comny bastard, I'll show you distribution of wealth!" Penn threw a coin right back at Teller.

"What is with them?" Mo asked.

"I have no idea, but I like where it's going..." Cherry said.

Teller waited a minute and then threw another coin.

"OKAY!" Penn glared at him, then threw some coins back at Teller and the two started to have a fight.

Darla soon laughed. The man was confused as Penn and Teller had a casino fight. 

"We might need to leave now." Mo said.

"I agree." Cherry said.

Darla laughed out loud as Penn was being taken away by security and Cherry and Mo moved the little girl away.

Eddie continued to look for Connie.

"Eddie," Connie smiled as she bent down to the dog. "Whatcha got there?"

Eddie handed the picture to her.

Connie took it and looked in shock to see who was on the front page. "Rover, Atticus, Atlas!" She knew exactly what she was going to do after the show.

"Connie, come on!" another showgirl came up to the blonde woman and held her up so they could come in line on the stage.

The lights in the casino were flickering.

"Teller?!" Penn looked around for his partner.

Teller was sitting with Cherry, they were both in dead silence as they were having trouble with contemplating on who Cherry should be with, him or somebody else...

"Teller finally!" Penn said, finally finding his partner.

Teller then stood up and silently saluted to his partner.

"What was that about guys?" Mo asked.

"What was what?" Penn asked.

"That fight in the casino." Darla said like it was obvious.

"Oh, just trying to lighten the mood." Penn chuckled.

"How is starting a fight in the casino lightening the mood?" Mo asked.

"It was funny, wasn't it?" Penn smiled innocently. "Huh? Huh?! We did one back in 1989..."

"You're despicable..." Cherry scoffed to him.

"Yeah." Darla said.

"Aw, have a little fun, Cherry..." Penn grabbed the perky goth into a headlock and gave her a rough noogie.

Cherry grunted and struggled in his grip.

"Let her go, Penn." Teller said.

Penn then let go of Cherry and patted her on the head.

"You sound so intelligent," Darla said to Teller. "Different than what I expected whenever you do a magic show."


	20. Chapter 20

After the show, Connie soon called Farmer Hill. Teller was packing up with Penn after they preformed with the showgirls ending the show. 

"Um... You were great..." Cherry came over to him as she wore a backstage pass.

"Thanks." Teller said.

"Yeah..." Cherry chuckled sheepishly. "I like that you got to get back at Penn this time than be his monkey."

"Same here." Teller chuckled sheepishly back.

Cherry laughed herself, then sighed.

"I'm quite a painter myself..." Teller tapped his knuckles together nervously. "Maybe you'd like to come to my place and see?"

Cherry blushed to the invitation. "Erm... That'd be an interesting experience."

"I thought it would." Teller smiled.

"Excuse me, do either of you have a quarter?" Connie walked by.

Cherry reached in her pocket and took out the coin.

"Thank you." Connie accepted it and went to use the pay phone.

"Something tells me that she's found out that they are alive." Cherry said.

"Whom?" Teller asked.

"Uh, hang on a sec..." Cherry said to him and went off.

"Uh, are you still going to come over?!" Teller called before sighing. "Oh, my..."

Cherry decided to eavesdrop to see if Connie was going to call the farmer.

"Cherry...?" Teller came up to the perky goth.

"SHH!" Cherry clamped her hands on his mouth as she listened in on Connie's call.

"Hello, is this Farmer Hill?" Connie asked while on the phone.

'Why, yes, it is, who may I ask is calling please?' Farmer Hill replied.

"My name is Connie LaBouff," the blonde woman replied. "I believe you have my dog on your farm."

'Wait, you mean Rover is your dog?' Farmer Hill asked.

"Yes, that's him," Connie replied. "He's a basset hound with a red tie."

Farmer Hill knew that this woman had to be Rover's owner since she described him perfectly. 'So I see...' he then replied.

"I'm not sure how he got there with my nephew and his friend, but I'd like to take them home, please." Connie then said, calling Atticus his nephew since Darla was her niece after all and Atticus was now her big brother.

'Would that include the rest of the pets we found with them?' Farmer Hill asked.

"Other pets?" Connie asked.

'Yes, there's also a rather strong dalmatian puppy with a white kitten, a young pit bull, and a cocker spaniel.' Farmer Hill explained.

"Oh, yes, they are included as well." Connie nodded.

'So I see, well, they're right here whenever you're ready.' Farmer Hill replied.

"Where's your farm?" Connie then asked as she looked at the article.

The farmer soon told where the farm was.

Connie took out a notepad and wrote this down as she absorbed all the information. "Thank you so much, I'll be there as soon as I can."

'Okay, see you soon.' Farmer Hill frowned.

"Thank you..." Connie nodded and then hung up.

Cherry then tried to look casual as Connie walked over.

"It's not nice to eavesdrop." Connie playfully smirked.

"I don't eavesdrop!" Cherry replied.

Connie continued to smirk playfully at her.

"Okay, maybe I was eavesdropping a little bit." Cherry said.

Teller cupped his mouth with a giggle. Cherry gave him a look and then shrugged.

It was quite late, but Connie decided to go with the others first thing tomorrow morning.

"Go straight to sleep, sweetie," Connie said as she tucked Darla into bed. "We have a big day tomorrow and if you don't get enough sleep, you can sleep on the way."

"I know." Darla yawned.

Connie tucked her in and kissed her cheek, then looked around. "Where did Cherry go?"

"I think she said something about visiting someone..." Mo honestly shrugged as she was brushing her teeth.

"Must be Teller." Connie said.

Mo shrugged as she spit in the sink and wiped her mouth and came to bed.

Connie began to think of how she would react to Atlas once she saw him again and where she could feel her heart start pounding.

"You like Atlas, don't you, Aunt Connie?" Darla asked.

This startled Connie as she didn't know her niece was still up.

"Oh, Darla; I didn't see you there." Connie said.

Darla smirked. "You tucked me in."

"Go to sleep, Darla..." Connie giggled.

"Not until you admit your feelings for Atlas." Darla smirked.

Connie smiled sheepishly. "You know Rocky is my boyfriend, Darla."

"Yeah, but he's a big jerk." Darla said.

"Yes, he is..." Connie seemed to actually admit it this time. "He seemed so nice when we first met."

"I guess he's changed since then." Darla said.

"What was it like when you first met?" Mo asked.

"This was back when I was a small town barmaid..." Connie started to explain. 

Flashback

"I was given the most dreadful news over the phone..." Connie narrated as we see her very young, almost like a teenager, and she was in her uniform which was like a sexy waitress as men only wanted to be with her for her body or money, she didn't want to bother her mother for money since she was very rich.

"Connie, ya got a phone call!" the boss called out.

Connie took the phone. "Thanks, Rex," she then answered. "Hello?"

'Hello, Constance, I'm afraid I have terrible news.' Nanny's voice told her.

"What is it, Nanny?" Connie asked, concerned.

'I'm very sorry, dear, but your brother and his wife have been in a terrible accident,' Nanny told her. 'I'm afraid they didn't survive.'

This was quite dreadful to Connie as she just lost her brother and sister-in-law.

'I'm very sorry...' Nanny's voice said. 'I just don't know how I'm going to tell little Darlene...'

"What about Deidre?" Connie then asked about her older niece. 

'She's been taken to the emergency room, they don't believe she's dead, but I'm very sorry, sorry, sorry.' Nanny replied.

"Well, thank you very much for telling me anyway." Connie frowned.

'Of course, dear... Of course...' Nanny said before hanging up. 'Good evening now...'

"Thank you..." Connie nodded softly, then hung up the phone and put her hands to her face as she started to cry to hear that her brother was now dead with his dearly beloved.

 

Soon enough a male figure came over to her after seeing her crying. "Hey, what's wrong with you?"

Connie sniffled. "It's a bit of a painful story..."

"Pretty chick like you shouldn't cry..." The figure was Rocky who smirked halfway. "Perhaps I can help make ya feel better..."

"Rex, do you mind if I take a break?" Connie asked her boss due to the heartbreaking phone call she had just received.

"Sure." Rex said.

"Thank you..." Connie then untied her apron to have a talk with Rocky since he seemed like he wanted to know what her problem was. And where she was ready to open up to him. She told him the news as they sat down together.

Rocky hung onto every word, then took out his cigarette pack and offered her one of his smokes. "Cigarette?"

"No, thank you." Connie denied.

Rocky then took a smoke himself. 

"I just can't believe my brother's gone..." Connie sighed shakily. "He was a very good man..." 

"I'm so sorry for your loss..." Rocky said. "But you got a pretty face, you shouldn't cry."

"How can I not cry?" Connie frowned.

"It's unattractive, it'll be okay..." Rocky said to her.

"I sure hope so." Connie frowned.

Rocky took her hands as he then put his cigarette in his mouth and stroked her beautiful and graceful hands. The flashback soon ends from there.

 

"How romantic..." Mo sounded sarcastic. "You sure you didn't sugarcoat it?"

"I'm sure," Connie said before seeing that Mo was up as well. "I thought you were on your way to bed?"

"I'm thinking about Atticus..." Mo held herself. "He's not like the other guys."

"I know." Connie smiled.

"Being in love sure is wonderful, isn't it?" Mo sighed.

"Indeed," Connie agreed. "Someday you will too, Darla."

"I think I did find my love." Darla smiled.

"Oh?" Connie asked.

"It's, um, a boy named Urchin." Darla smiled, blushing.

"Urchin?" Connie replied. "Well, that's an interesting name."

"Oh, he's not like other boys, trust me..." Darla smiled dreamily. "He used to annoy me, but we then realized we were in love."

Connie giggled to that. "Well, my mother always said when a boy pulls on your hair, it means he likes you." 

"Well, we realized we were in love when we were in Hawaii." Darla smiled.

"Oh, Hawaii, it's such a beautiful island from what I see on TV..." Connie said.

"It really is, my friend Lilo lives there, you should visit sometime." Darla smiled brighter. 

"Oh and she will," Mo whispered before smirking at Connie. "Anyway, we better get some sleep; maybe one of us will be dreaming about a certain strongman."

Connie blushed to that. "Good night, girls."

Darla and Mo uttered out good night greetings and went to sleep as they had dreams of their own as Connie did in fact seem to be dreaming about Atlas instead of Rocky. She never noticed it before, but Rocky was not the best guy and he was rarely there, not to mention that though he did come for her birthday, he didn't even have a gift and was very distant from her own pet while Atlas seemed to love everybody and be close to those he really cared about which were many others than himself. 

And where she even remembered the ruby slippers she still had from her birthday party and continued to wear them everyday. It seemed to be her favorite memory ever and she felt like Atlas was more of the man of her dreams than Rocky ever was.

Cherry watched as the others went to sleep as she then thought about Connie and Atlas herself and was sitting on the rooftop and watching the moon. 

Teller seemed to show up there and sat right next to her and held his knees. "Whatcha thinkin' about?"

"I wanna know what love is." Cherry replied. "Mo has Atticus, Darla even has Urchin... I'm all alone." 

"Is there any older men in your life back home?" Teller asked.

"Kind of, but he told me once that romance is entirely overrated..." Cherry looked down distantly. "He told me happiness was so depressing... We have more in common than it seemed... We both lost people in our families who calmed down our aggressively negative and pessimistic attitude who died way too soon..." 

Teller knew this was coming as he brought a heart-shaped crystal from his pocket before he showed it to her to show her and Forte inside it. Cherry looked to him and took the crystals.

"Put them together..." Teller told her. "See what happens..."

Cherry blinked to him, then looked back down and did as he said. And where to her surprise, both pieces got to fit together. They even seemed to glow. Teller smiled to her. Cherry's eyes glowed as she looked over to him.

"He is your destined soulmate..." Teller stroked her face with his finger. "And I understand... You may not see it now, but when you get older, he will be desirable for you... But don't forget, I'll always be there for you..."

Cherry held herself. "Would it be too heinous if I asked for a kiss from you...?" she then asked, nearly whimpering like a lowly fan girl. 

"Of course not." Teller said.

Cherry then sat on her knees and closed her eyes. Teller closed his eyes as well and the two leaned against each other, about to share a kiss together. And when the two of them shared their kiss, they didn't feel a thing. Teller felt disappointed that he didn't feel anything in the kiss.

"Thank you..." Cherry said softly even if she didn't feel anything herself. "I've been dreaming about that all my life." 

"Well I'm glad I could make it come true." Teller smiled.

Cherry visibly blushed and her heart felt squished on the inside from his smile, she may not had been in love with him, but she still seemed to have a crush on him.

"Well, it's getting late." Teller said.

"I suppose so..." Cherry replied. "What time is it?"

Teller looked at his watch. "About midnight."

"I should be getting sleepy around 2:00 or 3:00 AM..." Cherry replied. "I don't sleep the same as I used to." 

"I can tell." Teller said.

"You better go off to bed to... Well... I guess yourself..." Cherry said.

Teller nodded, looking a little sad about living alone. "Um... If you'd like... You could spend the night... I have a guest room..."

"No, that's okay, I wouldn't want to impose..." Cherry replied. 

"I insist." Teller said.

"Well... Maybe just this once..." Cherry shrugged.

The two then wrote a note for Mo, Darla, and Connie and went away for the night.


	21. Chapter 21

Back on the farm, Danny had told Rover that Connie was coming to come get him very soon. Ellie May told the others that she decided to spend some time away from Raffles to see if she really loved him or not in that case since they were going to be going back home real soon and the others thought that was a rather mature decision of hers to make. 

"Well, son, this is your last night with us until the summer..." Pongo smiled to Patch. "We're going to miss you lots, but we're so glad you're happy with Atticus." 

"I'll miss you all too, Dad." Patch said.

"Come on, let's get you to bed with the others so you can say goodbye." Pongo said.

Patch nodded and walked with his father into the farm as Perdita was getting the others to sleep. Tripod had a spot with Cadpig and he seemed to have his frontal arm around her. Cadpig was happy to be with him.

Patch smiled to them as he made his way to his own spot with Lucky, Rolly, and Spot. "Good night, guys..." he smiled sleepily and fell asleep. 

A few others muttered good nights to Patch as they were all together once again, for now...

Meanwhile with Ellie May and Raffles as they were going to have some more time together.

"So, you wanna wait out our relationship?" Raffles asked.

"Just to make sure..." Ellie May replied. "And if anything comes up, I'll call you on the Twilight Bark, I promise." 

"I'll call you on the Twilight Bark as well, I promise." Raffles said.

"I swear, it's not you or me, I'm just making sure I wanna know what I'm doing..." Ellie May nuzzled against him. 

"Okay... It'll be different without you now even if I had just met you..." Raffles nuzzled back. 

"Same here, I never even knew how love felt until I met you." Ellie May said.

"I know what you mean..." Raffles agreed.

"Not even with Daisy?" Ellie May then asked.

"She felt more like a sister to me honestly," Raffles said. "I feel a real connection with you though." 

"Aw!" Ellie May smiled.

Raffles then walked with her. "You ever been on a farm?"

"Once or twice, Michael usually sees horses there, I heard that he's gonna give Hayden riding lessons when he gets older." Ellie May smiled as they toured around. 

"Cool." Raffles said before sighing seeing a random boulder in there way.

"Where are these boulders coming from?" Ellie May asked.

"I dunno, but i'm gonna make them go away." Raffles said.

"How's that?" Ellie May then asked, little did she know she was about to be blown away metaphorically by what he could do. 

And where she then remembered about his strength as Raffles then lifted up the boulder with just his nose. Ellie May smiled as Raffles entertained her. And where he even spun the boulder on the tip of his nose. Ellie May clapped and giggled.

Raffles laughed himself, enjoying the sound of her laugh. "You like what you see?" 

"Uh-huh." Ellie May smiled.

Raffles soon sent the boulder flying into space.

"Ooh..." Ellie May looked marveled then.

"Make a wish, Ellie." Raffles smiled to her. 

"I just wish we could be together and have to separate." Ellie May sighed.

"But how?" Raffles nuzzled against her comfortingly. 

"That's our cue, girls." One of the Fates said before bringing out some special magic dust.

"Looks like it..." Another Fate said. "This better be all worth it in the end."

"They are supposed to be together and besides, they are going to be having puppies." The third Fate told the second one.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah..." the second Fate sounded impatient as they spread the magic dust for Raffles and Ellie May. 

And where the magic dust started to give both canines the same idea. Raffles and Ellie May seemed to smile bigger to each other as the Fates handled them. 

"I have an idea!" Raffles and Ellie May smiled.

"Oh, no, you go first." Ellie May then said.

"No, no, it's okay," Raffles insisted. "You are the lady after all." 

"Well, I was thinking, maybe we could live together--" Ellie May started.

"In Tennessee." Raffles concluded.

"Right..." Ellie May then smiled to that.

"Even though I might miss the farm; I'd miss you more." Raffles nuzzled her.

Ellie May blushed under her fur. "Oh, Raffles, I don't know what to say."

"Oh, I'd give up a bone for you~" Raffles began to sing. 

Ellie May began to giggle as she should have seen this coming. Raffles laughed with her as they then continued their walk well into the night. The two of them then began to have the dog style of sex. Before everyone knew it, it was the next morning and the visitors were now going back home where they belonged. But they were also going to be having someone come back with them.

The other dalmatians were now saying goodbye to Patch and Colette.

"Thanks, Mrs. Perdita and Mr. Pongo," Colette smiled to her boyfriend's parents. "Always a pleasure." 

"It was a pleasure having you here, dear." Perdita smiled.

Colette hugged them as she then went to join Patch.

"See you guys again real soon!" Patch smiled to his biological family. 

"See you soo, Patch!" His biological family smiled.

"Wait, you want to adopt two of our pups?" Roger asked Atlas.

"Uh, yes, sir, I believe their names were Cadpig and Tripod." Atlas confirmed with a nod. 

"Well they do seem to be taking a liking to you." Anita smiled.

"I hope that's okay." Atlas smiled back.

"If it's okay with them, it's all right with us." Roger replied fondly. 

This caused Tripod and Cadpig to be overjoyed.

"Thank you, sir and ma'am..." Atlas bent down and picked up the two puppies. "I think we're gonna get along great."

Cadpig then seemed to hug Atlas while licking his face as a sign of thanks.

"I think she's thanking you." Anita giggled. 

"Yep, that's how they thank people." Atticus smiled.

"Do I owe you any money?" Atlas offered since he was taking two puppies to raise as his own pets. 

"It's on the house." Roger smiled.

Atlas smiled back. "Come on, pups, let's go home."

Cadpig and Tripod came down to hug their parents one last time as they were going to leave like Patch did a very long time ago. 

"Do you think Farmer Hill will allow Raffles to go with Ellie May to Tennessee?" Colette asked her future mate.

"Hmm... Good question..." Patch hummed.

As though by fate, Ellie May appeared just in time before they would all go home. 

"Should one of us ask her?" Colette asked.

"Um, Ellie May, how'd it go with Raffles?" Patch asked.

"I'm going to think it over sometime and when I'm ready, I'll have Raffles come back to me." Ellie May replied. 

"Thank goodness." Colette smiled.

"I feel like I'll agree, but I need some time to think this over." Ellie May smiled

"That's very mature of you, Ellie." Patch smiled back. 

"Yeah." Colette smiled as well.

Danny looked rather sad about sending Rover and the others back to Las Vegas. 

"We'll be back for visits." Atticus promised.

The others waved as the others were now going back to where they belonged. Rover was anxious to get back to Connie, but he was rather sad about leaving Daisy behind. 

"To Las Vegas we go!" Maisy smiled.

They were then off.


	22. Chapter 22

After being reunited, Connie decided to have a little welcome home party and invited Rover's dog friends over. Atticus and Mo soon got Atlas and Connie close as soon as possible. Darla giggled to this as she wore her own party hat while Rover told his friends all about the farm.

"I don't understand why you wear make-up, you're pretty enough already." Atlas smirked.

Connie giggled. "You have a heart as big as your muscles." 

Tripod and Cadpig soon came over to the rest of the dogs.

"Well, who do we have here?" Eddie asked.

"This is Cadpig and Tripod, the lovepups." Rover said.

Tripod and Cadpig blushed at the term, but they shared smiles with each other.

"Aw! Those two are so adorable!" Connie smiled.

"Yeah, I thought so." Atlas chuckled.

"Oh, the kid's got his own girl," Eddie chuckled. "Hey, Rover, how 'bout the girl on the farm?"

This made the hound dog kind of sad.

"I don't know if he wants to talk about her." Tripod said.

Before anything else could be said or done, Rocky came to the door with a smirk, but then his mouth gaped open and his cigarette fell out once he saw the others were right there. Rover, Colette, Patch, Ellie May, and even Maisy growled at the man. Atlas started to roll up one of his sleeves as he was not happy at all to see Rocky and neither was Atticus.

"Rocky... You're here..." Connie sounded emotionless toward him.

"Yeah... I am..." Rocky flashed a smirk to her. "How ya been doing?"

"I've been better..." Connie sounded uninterested with him. 

"Rover, it's time Rocky got the start of his punishment." Patch said.

"You ain't kiddin'...." Rover agreed. Good riddance. He then ran and attacked Rocky's pant leg.

"You dirty mutt!" Rocky kicked him across the room. 

"Hey, what're you doing?!" Connie looked outraged that her own boyfriend would hurt her own pet.

"I thought I was rid of you, those other pests, and that brat and girl stealer for good!" Rocky snarled.

Atlas was about to punch Rocky for that, but surprisingly, Connie uppercutted Rocky with all her own strength. 

"Whoa! Remind me never to get you angry." Atlas said impressed to Connie.

"You shouldn't." Connie smiled to him.

The dogs were ready to attack Rocky, but suddenly an idea came to them as they decided to let Atlas handle him.

"What, are you takin' the dog's side?" Rocky scoffed as he tried to hold Connie back.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!" Atlas scowled. 

"Oh, yeah? And what are you going to do about if I don't?" Rocky asked before seeing everyone back away, sensing that he was about to be sent flying with just one punch.

Atlas cracked his knuckles and was able to punch Rocky right out of Connie's dressing room.

"Go, Atlas!" Darla cheered as Connie picked her up in her arms.

The dogs merely growled and Atlas chased after Rocky as he left the dressing room. 

"What a man." Connie sighed dreamily.

Darla smiled up to her aunt as she was falling in love herself and now she knew it was in fact true. 

Rocky fell down the stairs out of Connie's dressing room and rushed into the casino as Penn wore his hair down and stood next to Teller in the lobby which only meant one thing, but they slightly glared as the man knocked them both down as the fans came to get photographs and autographs from the two comedic magicians. Teller and Penn soon let Atlas and the dogs rush past them so then they could catch Rocky.

"You okay?" Teller helped Penn up.

"RIP OUT HIS ORGANS!" Penn yelled, then held his long wavy hair. "He totally gave me a split end... Ya know what I mean, right, ladies?" he then smirked to the females in line. "How's 'bout a kissin' booth for the foxy ladies?" 

This caused the fan girls to squeal.

"One at a time, ladies, one at a time..." Penn clapped his hands as he sprayed the inside of his mouth.

The girls then rushed over to Teller, feeling more interested in him.

"HEY!" Penn glared. 

Rocky continued to run and where he seemed to trip over something on the floor.

"I'm gonna get you!" Atlas used Rocky's words against him as he chased him, through the casino with the dogs behind him. 

Rocky soon rushed outside as he tried to out run the strongman and the dogs. A man was inside a limo and gestured for Rocky to come into it. Rocky looked relieved and ran inside of it and closed the door to block the dogs from coming inside.

"COME OUT AND FIGHT, YA BIG JERK!" Cadpig yelled which lifted her tiny body off the ground slightly. 

"Stand back, everyone." Atlas told the dogs who obeyed him instantly.

Rocky laughed until he saw who was in the car with him. Rocky then looked out the window to see Atlas and tried to open the door to let him be his punishment, but it was forced shut due to Atlas's strength. Rover then smirked as one guy asked Rocky if he wanted to see Hoover Dam. The limo seemed to be stuck and where it looked like they might need a tow out of a hole or in Atlas's case, just one kick.

"Goodbye," Rover smirked. "I'll miss you, Rocky~" 

This made the dogs laugh as Rocky was getting his just desserts. 

"Oh, how could I trust myself with him...?" Connie sighed about Rocky.

"Well, at least he is getting his just desserts." Darla said.

"Amen." Mo nodded firmly to that.

Connie gave Darla a tight hug as she had a small tear roll down her cheek, feeling overwhelmed about the experience, but she finally understood that Rocky was not the man for her and she should be with somebody else and luckily for her, she knew exactly who to go to. "Atlas, would you like to come to my condo?" she then invited.

"I-I'd love to, besides, the hotel I was staying at is being evicted because of some bugs found in it." Atlas said.

"Bugs?" Darla wrinkled her button nose.

"Yeah, that's mostly why I came here," Atlas replied. "They had to evacuate the whole building, don't get me wrong, I love my family, but I'd hate to cut my vacation short."

"Well, you are welcome to stay with me as long as you want." Connie smiled before seeing Atlas's tickets to Hawaii.

"Thank you." Atlas smiled as he tried to hide the tickets away from her and kept them as a surprise for later.

Connie then kissed his cheek. Atlas blushed and chuckled bashfully. This made the teenagers and dogs smirk to them.

"Um, w-we should get to my condo." Connie smiled nervously while blushing.

"Lead the way, mi'lady." Atlas replied.

Connie smiled to him and did just that so they could all turn in for the night.

"So, uh, screw me if I'm wrong, but is your name Debbie?" Penn smirked to the next fan girl.

The fan girl then slapped him and walked up to Teller.

"So I guess I was wrong." Penn sighed.

"You always had a way with the ladies..." Cherry folded her arms to the larger magician.

"Yeah, but not anymore." Penn sighed.

"Aww... Poor Penny Wenny..." Cherry cooed and stood on her tiptoes to pat him on his face.

Penn simply sighed, not having time for this. Cherry frowned to him and walked off.


	23. Chapter 23

Later...

"Connie, this is a very beautiful place and it's just you here?" Atlas commented.

"Well, it's me and Rover, but yes." Connie nodded.

"I hope you don't mind, but I brought my weights with me." Atlas said.

"Oh, not at all," Connie smiled while blushing. 'Ooh, I hope I get to see him in action sometime...' she then thought to herself lustfully.

And where she was going to as he brought in his weights which were dumbbells. Atlas nodded to her and then settled in as the others knew where to go as they were already guests to the condo. Ellie May began to feel lonely without Raffles and where she was even felt herself about to have puppies. Rover was lazily channel surfing and he seemed to be very bored even though he was back home with Connie.

"You okay, Rover?" Maisy asked.

Rover didn't answer, he just kept clicking the television remote.

"You're missing Daisy, aren't you?" Patch asked.

Ellie May decided to use the Twilight Bark to call Raffles. Rover then did look over as Daisy was mentioned. 

"So, I'm right..." Patch replied. "You may be born a city dog, but you realize that you belong on the farm to be with her."

"That's right." Rover nodded.

"Oh, Rover..." Patch soothed. "You really love her enough to go back to her home rather than your own."

"Yeah, but I don't wanna make Connie be lonely..." Rover frowned. 

"I don't think she'll be lonely after you leave, Rover," Cadpig said. "After all, Atlas likes her and she likes him back and I'll be with them and Tripod after you're gone."

"That is true." Rover nodded.

"Oh, Rover..." Connie set a steak down for her pet and set him in her lap before petting him. "You wanna see that special someone back on the farm, don't you?"

Rover panted happily and licked her face in response to show that she was right with her assumptions.

"I think Rover really misses Daisy, Aunt Connie." Darla said.

"I think you're right and I think Ellie May misses her special someone back on the farm as well." Connie said.

Ellie May was barking out with the window open as she was making a call to Raffles.

"She's making a call to him right now." Mo said.

"Oh, I hope it goes well...' Atticus held her in his arm.

"I'm sure it will." Mo said.

"Guess we gotta make a stop at the farm." Connie said.

"Now?" Cherry asked. "We just got back here!"

Ellie May soon got an answer back. This one made her smile very brightly and it was a bit of a compromise.

"So, what's up?" Tripod asked.

"I'm going to stay on the farm until the puppies are born and then Michael and Ashley will come bring us both home." Ellie May replied.

"That's wonderful news." Cadpig smiled.

Ellie May smiled back.

"So, wait, you guys are gonna have puppies...?" Tripod asked.

"Uh, surely you've had 'the talk'," Ellie May said. "Sadie told me about it."

"No." Tripod shook his head.

"Well, when a mommy dog and a daddy dog love each other very much--" Ellie May started.

"Ellie May, I don't think they're ready to learn about that yet." Patch said.

"Nonsense!" Ellie May replied, then continued on.

"I wonder what they're talking about?" Connie giggled as Ellie May barked to the two other dalmatian puppies.

"And that's where babies come from." Ellie May concluded with a smile.

Tripod and Cadpig's eyes widened and their mouths hung open in slight disturbance.

"Great, now you just scarred them for life." Colette sighed.

"I-I didn't mean to..." Ellie May pouted.

"It's okay, just remember to wait for the right moment to tell your pups where puppies come from when they are teenagers." Patch said.

"Oops, sorry..." Ellie May said.

"Great, we broke Cadpig..." Patch sighed. "Lucky and Rolly are gonna be on my case about this."

Atticus soon used his magic and a steak appeared and brought it over to Cadpig and Tripod.

"STEAK!" Cadpig and Tripod beamed, then both dove in and ate it.

"Thank you, Atticus." Patch sounded relieved.

"I just remembered of how you always woke up to the smell of steak." Atticus smiled.

Patch laughed to that. "Good move."

"Thanks." Atticus smiled.

Connie knew Rover wanted to go to the farm, but she decided to wait until Atlas would be settled and of course, he was.

"I'm all settled in, we can now go and take Rover and Ellie May to their special someones." Atlas said.

"I just hope my brother understands..." Cherry said since Ellie May was her brother's pet and not hers after all.

"Let's go then." Connie smiled to Atlas.

"After you." Atlas gestured to the door with a bow.

Connie soon giggled at his gesture before going out to her car. The others then came along to see this up close.

"Okay, Rover, let's go see this farm of yours." Connie giggled as she helped Rover into the car.

Rover was excited to get back to the barn and where Ellie May was excited too. They seemed to go very fast with leaving Las Vegas for Rover and Ellie May's sake.

Rover and Ellie May were so excited, they jumped out of the car before Connie could even stop it.

'Rover!" Connie called.

"Ellie, get back here!" Cherry added.

"Ah, let them go; they're excited to see their special someones." Atlas chuckled.

Connie smiled bashfully. "You're right."

Rover and Ellie May went around, looking all over for Daisy and Raffles. Rover seemed depressed as he couldn't find Daisy anywhere. Ellie May continued to look around for Raffles, not giving up on trying to find the sheepdog. Rover gave up and came to the tree that Daisy took him to to see the lights at night, it didn't help that there were flowers of the same name sprouted in the ground. Ellie May felt the same way and joined Rover as they were both upset an lost without their loved ones. However, as all hope looked lost, Daisy and Raffles came from behind the tree to find the young pit bull and hound dog.

"You two came back." Daisy said.

"Daisy!" Rover gasped. "I-I was so confused, I didn't know what to do!"

"Raffles, I'm back to stay." Ellie May smiled.

"I thought I'd never see you again." Raffles replied.

Ellie May soon nuzzled up to Raffles. Raffles smiled, looking very glad to have her back.

"And I have wonderful news." Ellie May smiled.

"Really? Small world, so does Daisy." Raffles said.

"Yeah?" Ellie May asked.

"She let me know first, but you and Rover have to see for yourselves." Raffles replied.

"Oh, I can't wait to see their little bundles of joy." Ellie May said before covering her muzzle.

Luckily, Rover didn't hear that, he was too busy making up with Daisy, but the one that did hear her was her mate who was surprised at what he heard from her. Daisy smiled.

"You mean, you and I...?" Rover asked her.

Daisy nodded to him.

"And you and I.....?" Raffles asked Ellie May.

Ellie May blushed but nodded. "They aren't born yet, but really soon."

Raffles's reaction was an excited one. Ellie May giggled to his excitement.

Connie then told Danny that Rover was going to stay on the farm for as long as he would like. And where this was exciting news for Danny.

"I'm really gonna miss him, baby doll." Connie said to Darla.

"I know, Aunt Connie; but at least he's happy." Darla said.

"That's true..." Connie smiled to her. "That lady friend of his is cute too."

Darla giggled about that.

Max and Duke then came to greet Rover to welcome him back as Daisy was going off somewhere. And where soon the twin dogs soon came to greet Rover as well. Rover greeted them all as he went to follow after Daisy. Lem and Clem then went into a debate about their names and even started to seem confuse each other with which one was which between the two of them.

"That's gonna get annoying." Ellie May said.

Daisy then shook her head and gestured for Rover to come into the barn with her. Rover then tuned out the others and went to join her. They were coming to piles and piles of hay which had a pair of boxer shorts on top of one stack. Rover was about to kiss Daisy, but then she turned his face and made him look as the shorts seemed to move. And where this made Rover curious of what was in or under the boxer shorts. As he looked, there popped out a puppy which strongly resembled him.

Rover looked around and found more puppies and there was one puppy who looked like Daisy who was teething on the hose. "Hey, look at this!" he beamed once he realized what this meant. "I'm a father of five!"

Another puppy then fell on Rover's face.

"Six!" Rover then held out the final puppy in his litter.

"Hey, take it easy, I'm only a pup." That puppy said to his father.

"Aw! He must be the comedian son of the family." Ellie May smiled.

"Hey, boys," Rover smiled as he put his paw around Daisy. "Daddy's home!"

"So how soon until we have little ones of our own?" Raffles smiled at Ellie May.

"Oh, pretty soon..." Ellie May smiled sheepishly.

"Maybe we should help with how soon they arrive," One of the Fates said. "Just to get this over with."

"I would appreciate that..." The second Fate agreed.

"I agree as well." The third Fate added.

The three Fates then combined their powers as they watched over Ellie May and Raffles's interactions. And where they then soon used their magic and where Ellie May soon howled out of pain.

"Ellie!" Raffles gasped.

"Raffles," Ellie May winced. "I-I-I think it's time..."

"What?! Now?!" Raffles asked out of panic.

"I believe so..." Ellie May replied.

"Come on, hurry, we gotta go!" Raffles helped her to move somewhere to have their puppies.


	24. Chapter 24

"Ellie May is something wrong? We heard you howl in pain." Darla said.

"She's gone into labor, the puppies are coming!" Raffles yelped.

"What?!" Darla gasped.

"We better find someplace for me to have the puppies soon!" Ellie May groaned in pain.

"Hurry, Ellie, right here!" Raffles helped her into the barn.

Patch overheard that and howled out. Pongo and Perdita rushed over.

"Patch, it's you." Perdita was surprised.

"You summoned us, son, it must be important." Pongo replied. 

"Ellie May's having puppies!" Patch told his parents.

"Oh, dear.... Quickly, lead the way." Perdita said.

Patch then led his parents to the barn as Ellie May was weakly being taken there. Rover and Daisy's puppies looked curious and so did Patch's brothers and sisters. The puppies were soon taken out of the barn so then the dogs and adults could give Ellie May everything she needed while giving birth. Ellie May breathed weakly as she was about to give birth.

Perdita coached and supported her since she was a mother and experienced this herself after all, only with fifteen puppies before adopting eighty-four more. After a while, they all soon heard new puppy cries.

Perdita smiled peacefully, then came to the others. "Ellie May's puppies are born."

"I'm a father..." Raffles whispered in delight. 

"You can come inside to see them." Perdita smiled to Raffles.

Raffles smiled and came inside the barn. Ellie May smiled wearily and proudly as she looked down to her newborn puppies. Raffles began to come over to his mate and the newborn puppies. Ellie May smiled to him as they had four puppies, three girls and one boy. The boy puppy looked a lot like his father.

"Hey, buddy..." Raffles smiled to his only son.

The boy puppy looked up to his father and tried to grab onto one of Raffles paws. Raffles gently held out one of his frontal paws. The boy puppy soon got a hold on his father's paw and where he soon started to giggle as he lifted him up just like Hercules did to Zeus when he was a baby.

"Whoa!" Raffles chuckled. "Looks like he has his mother's eyes and my strength."

This made everyone else chuckle. The boy puppy soon placed his father back on the ground.

Raffles chuckled and patted the boy on his head gently. "Good boy."

The boy puppy smiled back, looking up to his father already as his sisters were getting milk. 

"Son, come on and get some milk." Ellie May said.

The boy puppy looked over and then did that.'

"Drink up, son, it's good for you." Raffles smiled. 

"Can we come in now?" Darla asked.

"Come on in!" Perdita called.

Everyone else came inside and awed at the four newborn puppies. 

"Aw!" Connie smiled.

"Ooh, puppies!" Darla gushed. 

"They are so adorable." Cadpig smiled.

"Looks like you guys got some new pups to play with." Rover smiled to his children. 

Rover's pups all nodded as they agreed with him.

Rover chuckled as he gave them all a hug. "Oh, wait 'til I teach ya how to play Blackjack." 

And where he would teach them soon and where as soon as the puppies were old enough to walk; Ellie May, Raffles, and their pups would soon go to their new home.

"Goodbye, Rover..." Connie said softly as she was deciding to take her leave.

Atlas put his arm around her in a comforting way since the dog she had raised from a puppy was going to have a whole new life for himself. 

"Should we leave now then?" Mo asked.

"I suppose so..." Connie replied softly.

"We'll visit him whenever we can." Atlas assured her.

Connie smiled to him. Atlas smiled back. There were final goodbyes and everyone was now separating. Rover then laughed as he was chasing Daisy around the meadow and the puppies even joined in.

"We made the right choice." Connie smiled.

"It'll be okay, Connie," Atlas soothed. "You still got us." 

"Yeah." Darla nodded.

Connie smiled to them as they were on the way back to Vegas for one more night. Cadpig and Tripod cuddled each other as they leaned against Atlas and Connie's laps.


	25. Chapter 25

Once at the condo, Atlas began to lift one of his dumbbells. Even though she was not as strong as him, Connie decided to do exercises with Atlas and it seemed to bring them closer together. Tripod was even exercising by Atlas's feet and was able to lift a weight with his tail as he did push-ups. 

"Hey, Aunt Connie; why don't you feel Atlas's muscles?" Darla suggested.

"Darla!" Connie called with a laugh.

"Aw, come on, I do the same with Urchin all the time." Darla insisted. 

"Yeah, same here, I do the same thing with Atticus." Mo added.

Connie blushed then. Cadpig then appeared to be feeling Tripod's muscles for herself. Darla decided to give her aunt a little push over to Atlas. Connie laughed as she then came into Atlas's open arms.

"Well, hello there." Atlas smirked. 

"Hello there, big strong and handsome," Connie giggled before blushing. "Um, is it okay if I feel your muscles?"

"If you'd like to." Atlas smiled.

"O-Oh, thank you..." Connie replied shyly before doing so and enjoyed it very much. "Ooh~..." 

"You like what you see?" Atlas asked as he started to flex his muscles.

Connie seemed to squeal. "Very much, yes." 

Atlas continued to flex his muscles and where he wasn't letting his ego get to his head while doing so. Connie marveled and gushed. Atticus rolled his eyes with a smirk. 

"Looks like they're enjoying each others company while letting the muscles bring them together." Mo smiled.

"How romantic..." Cherry shrugged, she didn't think muscles were everything. 

Mo started to feel Atticus's muscles as he started to flex them himself.

Cherry sighed and she left the condo. "I'm gonna take a walk..." 

Cherry then left the others and walked down the street, passing various other people. She soon bumped into a familiar court composer. She fell flat on the sidewalk and shook her head with a glare. "WATCH WHERE YOU'RE--....Forte...?" 

"Hello there, Cerise." Forte smiled.

"What are you doing here?" Cherry glared at him slightly.

"I thought I'd check on you..." Forte knelt in front of her. "Enjoying your vacation?"

"Yeah, I guess..." Cherry said. "Everyone's ogling over muscles, but that doesn't matter to me... I always go for smart and exotic guys." 

"Interesting." Forte said as this would give him an idea.

Cherry then stood up and dusted herself clean. "Man, why do I always gotta be such a klutz?" 

"I don't think you are a klutz." Forte said.

"What brings you to the big city?" Cherry asked as she tried to get away from him, but he walked beside her anyway. 

"Drell sent me here." Forte said.

"Ugh! Drell! Of course!" Cherry face-palmed. "I just wanna teach that man a lesson he won't forget!"

"Oh, trust me; he'll learn a lesson one day." Forte assured her.

"He better..." Cherry snarled. "I just wanna get him back for torturing me all these years." 

"Why not just sent Atticus after him and make him pay?" Forte asked.

"No, I want him to suffer from me..." Cherry replied. "The dog will bite back!"

"Whoa... You got it then." Forte said.

Cherry growled and shook her hands. "Sometimes I just wanna go up to him, rip his still beating heart right out of his chest... And show it to his face... Just so how he can see how cold and blackened it is before he dies..."

"I think I like you this way..." Forte smirked. 

"I thought you might." Cherry said.

Forte smiled to her. Cherry glanced at him oddly.

"I am fascinated by you, Cerise..." Forte pulled her over into his arms as she held her, nearly leaning slightly against her. "You are so different than modern children in this day in age..."

"Uhh..." Cherry gulped. "Thank you...?" 

"You're welcome." Forte said.

Cherry shivered slightly as he stroked some of her hair behind her ear. "How long have you felt this way...?"

"Long time..." Forte replied. "Especially when you became a teenager... You were so sweet and innocent as a child, then you became graceful and desirable as you got older... I can't contain my feelings any longer for you..."

Cherry seemed to blush as he looked deep into her eyes, showering her with compliments. And where she soon noticed that she was actually blushing around Forte.

"Ah, so you turn pink when you blush." Forte noticed.

Cherry looked rather weak in his grasp. "I guess so..." 

"You okay?" Forte asked.

"I think so..." Cherry looked down. "It's school too... I'm not sure I can pass anymore... I've been too social lately..."

"That's actually a good thing." Forte said.

"I know, but my grades are slipping..." Cherry replied softly.

"Perhaps I could help..." Forte offered. "I could try to tutor you..."

Cherry looked disgusted at the word. 

"It won't be like the past." Forte said.

"I don't know..." Cherry lowered her head.

Forte put his hand under her chin and made their eyes meet. "Let me tutor you, Cerise..."

Cherry slowly shut her eyes. "I need your help, Maestro..." 

"Perfect." Forte said.

"Okay, Maestro..." Cherry said, calling him by his title instead of his last name for a change. 

"We'll start after your vacation." Forte said.

"Understood, Maestro..." Cherry replied. '

"Cerise, a favor?" Forte prompted.

"Hm?" Cherry asked.

"Could you call me 'Charles' when we're not around other people?" Forte requested.

"Charles...?" Cherry asked. "Why would I call you--" 

"Please." Forte begged.

"Okay... Charles..." Cherry then said. 

"Thank you." Forte said.

"Erm... 'De rein'." Cherry replied in French, which amused the court composer. 

While those two were getting along again, the others were enjoying their time together. It was about 4:00 in the morning. Cherry yawned sleepily as she came back to the condo and then climbed into the guest bed to get some sleep. Atlas was sharing Connie's bed with her. They appeared to be cuddling with each other in their sleep. 

The next day soon came by quickly.

"Cherry, time to wake up..." Atticus called.

"Fifty more minutes..." Cherry grumbled. 

"Pancakes." Atticus whispered.

"MOVE IT!" Cherry ran out of her guest bed. 

"I knew it." Atticus smirked.

Cherry looked around. "Where are those pancakes?"

"In the fridge," Atticus came behind her teasingly. "Wait for everyone else and you can have some unless you wanna cook."

Cherry scoffed at him.

"I thought so." Atticus smirked.

"I wanna hurt you so much right now..." Cherry glowered.


	26. Chapter 26

A while later, Connie made breakfast for everyone before they would go off.

"I should visit sometime," Connie smiled to Darla. "In fact, I feel like there'll be a wedding sometime soon and I'd like the most adorable little girl in the world to be the flower girl."

Darla gasped as she had a good feeling why her aunt had mentioned a wedding sometime. Connie smiled bashfully to her niece in return. Darla then hugged her and nuzzled softly against her.

"You are already thinking about marriage?" Cherry asked Connie.

"Well, Atlas did propose..." Connie said.

"When?" Mo asked.

Connie then whispered to Cherry and Mo, but left Atticus and Darla out of it.

"Huh, that's how my dad proposed to my mom." Cherry smirked.

"So when is the wedding?" Mo asked.

"We'll have to see, there's oodles of planning to do, but I'd like you all to come." Connie smiled.

"We would love to come." Mo smiled.

Connie smiled back to that. Cadpig and Tripod seemed to be nuzzling against each other which made Patch, Maisy, and Colette smile.

"I wonder who's going to be the best man or man of honor?" Darla said.

"We'll see..." Connie hugged her one last time. "Well, you guys better get going, your bus should be here in about an hour."

Darla hugged Connie back. "I'll miss you, Aunt Connie, thanks so much for having us."

"Before they leave; I think I already know who should be our man of honor." Atlas smiled.

"Would this happen to be Atticus?" Connie asked him quietly.

Atlas nodded with a smile.

"Oh, Atlas..." Connie hugged him.

Atlas smiled and hugged her back.

The others were now on the bus and going back home, waving to Atlas, Connie, Tripod, and Cadpig. The bus once again had a tire trouble which caused the bus driver to groan.

"Want some help?" Atticus asked.

"Please!" the driver replied.

"Don't worry, I got this." Atlas said as he went to where the tire went out.

The others looked out the window. Connie seemed to smile at the sight. Atlas soon bent down and lifted the bus with one hand.

"Atlas." Atticus smiled knowingly.

The strongman soon got out a spare tire and replaced the old tire with the new one before placing the bus back on the ground. Cherry nearly wobbled from that.

"Thanks, Atlas!" Atticus poked his head out a window with a smile.

"No problem, man of honor." Atlas winked, giving him a hint.

Atticus had a knowing smile. The passengers then cheered as they were going to leave Las Vegas.

Mo saw she had one new message on her phone's voicemail and listened to it until it was over to tell the others what it was. The bus started to move and they were on their way out of Las Vegas. Cherry, Atticus, Patch, Colette, Darla, Mo, and Maisy waved as they left Vegas.

"That was my dad," Mo said once she got off her phone. "His niece is moving into a new town and her dad invited me and some others along to help them move."

"We'd be happy to help." Atticus said.

"James has a niece?" Cherry sounded unfamiliar.

"Yeah, he said her name's Blythe." Mo replied.

"Oh, yeah, I haven't met Blythe..." Cherry replied. "I've only heard about her."

"How old is she?" Darla asked.

"I think she's about thirteen now..." Cherry estimated.

"Ooh." Maisy smiled.

"Yeah, Dad wants us to go help her move." Mo said.

"When?" Atticus asked.

"In a couple of weeks." Mo smiled.

"Cool." Atticus smiled.

"So, you wanna help?" Mo smiled back, leaning against him dreamily.

"Of course I do." Atticus said.

Cherry rolled her eyes as Mo again ogled over Atticus.

"You okay?" Darla asked Cherry.

"Just sick of this love fest..." Cherry sounded nauseous.

"I'm sure you'll find love too." Darla said.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah..." Cherry stared out the window.

Darla then reached into her shirt as she took out her own heart-shaped locket which had a picture of her with Connie. The wedding would be a romantic one that no one would ever forget.

The End


End file.
